BUFFALO, NY. (WKBW) — The Buffalo Sabres are still searching for not only their first win following the All-Star break, but any consistent power play production. The Sabres dropped a 3-1 contest to the St. Louis Blues Saturday afternoon at the KeyBank Center.
1st Period
Buffalo went on an early power play opportunity with a little over six minutes into the game. But despite some chances, the team could not net the contest's first goal. Instead, St. Louis' Jake Neighbours would do so about seven minutes later on their own power play chance to give the Blues an early 1-0 lead.
Roofed it. #stlblues pic.twitter.com/lOSzmo2Vj3
— St. Louis Blues (@StLouisBlues) February 10, 2024
2nd period
Down 1-0 entering the second period, Buffalo's answer to a somewhat wasted opening period was just what you needed to see.
51 seconds into the period, Kyle Okposo off the assist from Tage Thompson, netted the snap shot equalizer to bring the game to 1-1.
Kyle Okposo working the front of the net 😤#LetsGoBuffalo pic.twitter.com/FRhHsDEzTU
— Buffalo Sabres (@BuffaloSabres) February 10, 2024
Kyle Okposo's goal is his second in his last five games and his 10th of the season. It marks the 12th time he has recorded 10 or more goals in a single season in his career. He is now one goal away from tying his goal total from 2022-23, which he set in 75 games.
— Sabres PR (@SabresPR) February 10, 2024
But that celebration would be short lived. About four minutes later, the Blues would retake the lead (2-1) off a goal from Jordan Kryou.
The Blues pull ahead, Kyrou gets the credit.2-1 with 15:28 left in the second period.
— Buffalo Sabres (@BuffaloSabres) February 10, 2024
Buffalo would get it's third power-play opportunity around the mid-way point of the period. But again, the team struggled to create any scoring chances or really even create at minimum, traffic around the net to increase their odds at finding the second equalizer.
We'd go to the third period with the Sabres trailing 2-1, despite them out-shooting St. Louis 14-4 in that period.
3rd Period
The final 20 minutes were not what this team needed to not only pull ahead, but simply tie the game.
UPL has played great in the last two games and deserves to be 2-0. The Sabres are 10 minutes away from being 0-2 and wasting two awesome games from their goaltender.
— Matthew Bové (@Matt_Bove) February 10, 2024
An empty-net goal from the Blues pushed the lead to 3-1 late in third. And at the final horn, that would be how this game ended on the scoreboard.
Up Next
Buffalo hosts Los Angeles, Tuesday at 7 p.m. est.
