Buffalo heads to Philadelphia for a game against the Flyers Friday night.
By Chris Ryndak @ChrisRyndak / Sabres.com
BUFFALO, N.Y. — With a win over Ottawa last night, the Sabres have earned points in four straight games, collecting six of a possible eight points over that stretch.
Robin Lehner made 24 saves in net in the 3-2 win while Benoit Pouliot, Kyle Okposo, and Evander Kane scored for Buffalo.
The Sabres will fly out this afternoon in anticipation of tomorrow night’s game against the Flyers in Philadelphia.
Here’s what you need to know.
About last night, from the Lexus Postgame Report…
“We needed this win here tonight, not only for our fans but the guys inside that room,” Sabres coach Phil Housley said. “It was really important we got this one tonight. It’s a divisional game, been a heated rivalry, some good physical play on our part. It was good to see we could get a win for our fans.”
Housley was pleased with the way the Sabres started the game, although it hadn’t translated into much offense at the end of one period. The two teams combined for just 11 shots in the first, with the Sabres holding a 6-5 advantage.
Buffalo’s focus entering the second period was to play the same for the most part, but with more of a shot mentality. That mindset translated into a pair of goals, from Pouliot and Okposo, which came just 1:12 apart early in the period.
(The Sabres are now 6-0-1 this season when Pouliot scores and 7-0-1 when he records a point. Pouliot leads all Sabres in lasting-lead goals this season, scoring four go-ahead goals that have given the Sabres leads that they never relinquished. -@SabresPR)
The Sabres were aided by a 3-for-3 night on the penalty kill, including 59 seconds at 5-on-3 in the second period. That kill protected their two-goal lead and kept momentum in their favor, opening the door for Kane to score on the power play less than two minutes later.
“That was huge,” Pouliot, who took the first of two penalties leading to the 5-on-3, said. “I think that’s what gave us the big boost, too. It’s not always the power play that’s going to get you the momentum. I think when you get a good kill, a big kill like that, especially 5-on-3, the boys get up, the boys rally and the boys feel good. That was huge for us.”
With a four-game point streak finally showing some signs of progress, Okposo said the important thing now is to not take any win for granted. If the team continues to put work in, sticks with their preparation and focuses on execution, they’ll give fans more reasons to cheer going forward.
“We had some big hits, we had some big goals, big penalty kills,” Okposo said. “The fans, obviously, they’re starving for a winner here. We want to make sure that we’re giving them 100-percent effort every night and if we do that, we’re going to have some success on home ice.”
Lehner is now 5-0-2 in nine career appearances against his former club with a .955 save percentage and a 1.39 goals-against average.
With two assists on the night, Rasmus Ristolainen now has eight assists in his last seven games against the Senators.