Buffalo blows a 2-0 advantage and falls to the Arizona Coyotes, 3-2.
GLENDALE, AZ. — Coming off their bye week, the Buffalo Sabres were looking to pick up 4 points over the weekend against the two worst teams in the NHL. However, after squandering a 2-0 lead in the third period on Sunday night, the Sabres lost to the Arizona Coyotes, 3-2.
That defeat followed a 5-3 loss on Saturday night versus the Colorado Avalanche in Denver. The the loss was the third straight defeat for the Sabres and put a big hurt in Buffalo’s drive for a Stanley Cup playoff berth.
Jack Eichel scored his 14th goal of the season in the first period for a 1-0 lead. Rookie Evan Rodrigues tallied his second goal of the campaign in the second stanza as Jake McCabe and Eichel received assists. It also marked the first time since the former Boston University teammates (Eichel and Rodrigues) combined on a goal in the NHL.
Arizona goalie Louis Domingue robbed Greece native Brian Gionta of the tying goal in the final seconds after the Coyotes tallied the go-ahead goal with 18.9 seconds remaining in regulation. Domingue also came up with several other key saves throughout the game to thwart the Sabres and eventually resulted in an Arizona victory.
The loss was the first for the Sabres when Eichel recorded a multi-point game, and it also was the first time the team did not earn at least one point when taking a lead into the third period.
Andres Nilsson was outstanding in goal for Buffalo making 21 saves as Robin Lehner was injured in Saturday’s contest against the Avalanche and will be sidelined for an indeterminate amount of time.
The Sabres return to the KeyBank Center on Tuesday night against the Nashville Preditors at 7 pm.
Sabres recall Ullmark
The Buffalo Sabres on Sunday announced the team recalled goaltender Linus Ullmark from the Rochester Americans. He was teh backup goalie to Andres Nilsson on Sunday against the Arizona Coyotes.
Ullmark (23, 6-foot-4, 221 lbs.) joins the Sabres for his fifth recall of the season, but has yet to appear in a game with the team in 2016-17. The Lugnvik, Sweden native has compiled a 20-20-2 record in 42 games for the Americans this season, posting a .910 save percentage and a 2.90 goals-against average in his second North American professional season.
Buffalo’s sixth-round pick (163rd overall) in the 2012 NHL Draft, Ullmark appeared in 20 games for the Sabres during the 2015-16 season, logging a .913 save percentage and a 2.60 goals-against average as a rookie. His 8-10-2 record in 2015-16 included wins in each of his last three NHL appearances.
Sabres No. 1 goalie Robin Lehner was injured in Saturday’s game against the Colorado Avalanche.