For the second time this week the Buffalo Sabres erased a 4-1 deficit on the road and send the game to overtime. This time, they were on the winning end, knocking off the Boston Bruins 5-4. The win improves the Sabres record to 2-5-2. Ryan O'Reilly scored the overtime winner, while Evander Kane, Benoit Pouliot, Jack Eichel and Jason Pominville also scored for the Sabres.
Five observations from Saturday's win:
Same script, different result
The Sabres playing from behind? What else is new!
Buffalo fell behind 3-0 in the second period and started storming back slowly but surely, playing a solid second half of the game.
The third period was one of the Sabres' best of the season, outshooting the Bruins 15-6 and outscoring their opponent 2-0. Aside from the third period against the Vegas Golden Knights earlier in the week, the final 20 minutes on Saturday were some of the Sabres' most dominant of the year.
#Sabres erase a 4-1 deficit & win in OT. Woah. pic.twitter.com/Ny8zU3h6MN
— Matthew Bové (@Matt_Bove) October 22, 2017
Don't get me wrong, these slow starts will bury the Sabres more often than not but it's hard not to be impressed with the resiliency they showed in Boston. Perhaps this can be just what the doctor ordered.
ROR OT winner pic.twitter.com/hIpJOTWhlO
— steph (@myregularface) October 22, 2017
Why hello there, Mr. Pouliot
In the third period, Benoit Pouliot scored his first goal as a Sabre, firing a wrist shot past Bruins goaltender Anton Khudobin. To say it has been a slow start for Pouliot would be putting it lightly. The good news -- Saturday was his best game of the season by leaps and bounds. Playing with Ryan O'Reilly and Jason Pominville certainly gave Pouliot a much-needed spark, something that needs to continue.
Bailey stays hot
In four games with the big club, Justin Bailey now has three points this season. For some perspective, Bailey had only four points in 32 games last season. Has the 22-year-old winger turned a corner? It's still too early to tell but he's been very impressive since the call-up.
G e t
P u c k s
T o
T h e
N e t
When you get pucks [and bodies] to the net good things happen. Kane's game-tying goal in the third period was the perfect example. Marco Scandella did a really nice job of this, finishing the game with six shots on net. Just shoot, baby.
Sabres tying goal pic.twitter.com/ceYxvy8IpG
— steph (@myregularface) October 22, 2017
Still plenty of problems
Not to be the bearer of bad news, but there are still a lot of problems that needed to be addressed. Buffalo failed to clear their zone several times on Saturday, ultimately leading to goals. Robin Lehner was average in the first two frames and could've helped bail his teammates out, especially on the Bruins' first goal. The Sabres won so these issues will be pushed to the backburner and that's okay -- but the Sabres need to start figuring things out in the first period.
