Two controversal no-goal calls cost Buffalo the game against the Stars, 4-3.
DALLAS, TX. — The Buffalo Sabres came out on the short end of two third period goal reviews, plus a controversal penalty on defenseman Zach Bogosian with less than 3 minutes to play, combined to end their 3-game winning streak with a 4-3 loss to the Dallas Stars on Thursday night.
The game was the final one before the All-Star break this weekend. Buffalo returns to action on Tuesday at the Montreal Canadiens.
Evander Kane gave Buffalo a 1-0 lead 5 minutes into the opening period.
Matt Moulson scored a power play goal midway through the stanza as Kane and Greece native and team captain Brian Gionta assisted on the play.
The Stars got on the scoreboard late in the opening session, then tied the game 2-2 with a power play goal in the first minute of the second period against Buffalo goalie Andres Nilsson.
However, Dallas scored the next two goals, the second of which was an own goal by Buffalo defenseman Cody Franson as he meant to clear the puck from the crease, but put it in the net instead.
Kane netted his second goal of the game, and 14th of the season, to cut the deficit to 4-3 entering the third stanza.
The Sabres outshot the Stars, 16-2, in the third period, but were unable to get the equalizer.
With less than 3 minutes to play, Bogosian was whistled for a holding penalty that TV color commentator Brad May said was a bad call by the referee.
Jack Eichel started an end-to-end rush that resulted in another inconclusive call. With 11 seconds left, the puck partically crossed the goal line on a shot by Sam Reinhart. The replay showed the puck in the air, but against the black of Stars goalie Kari Lehtonen’s hip pads, it obscurred whether the puck completely crossed the line or not.
Since the call on the ice was “no goal,” there was not enough conclusive evidence to overturn that call.