This game featured two scintillating goaltending performances from Jonas Johansson and James Reimer. Although Johansson was the busier of the two (he faced 38 shots while Reimer saw 24), both netminders turned aside numerous opposition scoring chances. As a result, neither team scored more than two goals over 65 minutes. In the shootout, the Sabres prevailed, 2-0, and grabbed the extra point.
The Lightning didn’t have a strong first period. They were not crisp with the puck and consequently, they didn’t have much time or space to make plays. At the same time, they did a reasonably good job of preventing dangerous looks from the Sabres, who weren’t able to capitalize on their possession advantage. The game was scoreless after 20 minutes.
The Lightning increased their intensity level in the second period. Compared to the first period, they enjoyed more possession, had more shots and attempts, and created more chances. They opened the scoring at 1:35 when Brayden Point won an offensive-zone faceoff, collected the deflection of a Nikita Kucherov blocked shot, and zipped a left-circle shot past Reimer.
The lead didn’t last, however. The second period also featured more scoring chances for the Sabres. One of those came off the stick of Tage Thompson, who drilled in a shot from the slot at 4:47.
The line of Yanni Gourde, Oliver Bjorkstrand, and Gage Goncalves put together an extended offensive-zone shift, and it culminated with a Goncalves goal from the high slot at 13:01. The Lightning took that lead into the second intermission.
The Sabres knotted the score at 5:07 of the third when they converted on a power play. Jason Zucker slid in a rebound from the side of the net. The Sabres had the better chances through the rest of the third period. J.J. Peterka and Jack Quinn each had open looks in the closing minutes, but Johansson stopped them both.
Both goalies made four saves in a wide-open overtime. In the shootout, Quinn and Alex Tuch tallied goals for the Sabres.
Buffalo has been playing well of late and scoring a lot of goals. The Sabres had gone 5-1-0 in their previous six contests before this one and had tallied 32 goals during that span. They are a dangerous offensive team. Still, as the Lightning gear up for the start of the playoffs, they want their defensive game to be buttoned up. It wasn’t tonight. But thanks to Johansson, they added a point to their total.
Lightning Radio Three Stars of the Game:
- James Reimer — Sabres. 22 saves.
- Jonas Johansson — Ligthning. 36 saves.
- Tage Thompson — Sabres. Goal.
