Nikita Kucherov took over the night, and the Tampa Bay Lightning rolled past the Buffalo Sabres 8-3 on Wednesday at KeyBank Center.
Kucherov scored three times, turning a close game into a runaway in the third period. Tampa Bay had already built a 4-0 cushion before Buffalo answered, then the Lightning slammed the door with four more goals in the final frame.
The scoring started late in the first period when Scott Sabourin finished a play set up by Conor Geekie and Jake Guentzel at 18:49. Less than a minute later, John Carlson struck on the power play at 19:38 to make it 2-0.
Tampa Bay kept pushing in the second. Brandon Hagel scored at 4:33, and Yanni Gourde added another at 13:02 to stretch the lead to 4-0. Buffalo finally got on the board with Josh Doan’s power-play goal at 15:54, then Jason Zucker cut it to 4-2 at 19:32.
The Sabres made it interesting right after the intermission when Tage Thompson scored just 33 seconds into the third period. But Kucherov answered almost immediately, scoring at 1:25 and again at 4:11 to restore control. He completed the hat trick on the power play at 14:13, and Hagel added one more at 15:06 to finish the scoring.
Carlson finished with a goal and four assists for Tampa Bay. Kucherov had three goals and an assist, while Guentzel collected four assists. Sabourin and Gourde also scored, and Andrei Vasilevskiy made 28 saves on 31 shots.
For Buffalo, Doan, Zucker and Thompson each scored. Colten Ellis stopped 5 of 8 shots.
Even with Buffalo outshooting Tampa Bay 31-22, the Lightning were sharper on special teams and made the most of their chances. Tampa Bay went 2 for 4 on the power play, while Buffalo finished 1 for 3.
The win moved the Lightning to 12-4-2. The Sabres dropped to 8-7-3 and have lost two straight. Tampa Bay sits third in the Eastern Conference, while Buffalo is 10th.
The Lightning visit the Columbus Blue Jackets on Thursday, Nov. 12, at 7:00 p.m. ET.
The Sabres are back in action Thursday, Nov. 12, at 8:00 p.m. ET against the Chicago Blackhawks.
In Other News...
Sabres Suddenly Face A Bigger Problem Than One Bad Loss
The Sabres latest stumble against Tampa Bay did more than add another loss to the ledger. It sharpened the questions already hanging over a team that has been trying to find some consistency, with Rasmus Dahlin and Tage Thompson both pointing to the need for sharper play across the board. When a game ends with the kind of defensive breakdowns, shaky goaltending and special-teams issues Buffalo has been dealing with, it becomes less about one bad night and more about a pattern the club has to confront.
Thompson still gave Buffalo something to build on with his offensive work, and he remains on pace for a strong scoring season. But the bigger concern for the Sabres is whether that production can matter if the rest of the lineup keeps leaving them exposed. The grades from the game reflected that imbalance, and for a team trying to climb out of its own way, the margin for these kinds of losses is getting thinner. [Read more 🡒]
Sabres Loss To Tampa Exposed A Problem Fans Wont Ignore
The Sabres latest trip through Tampa Bay turned into one of those nights that can linger long after the final horn. The Lightning jumped out fast with four goals, Buffalo briefly steadied itself by scoring three straight to make things interesting, and then the game slipped away again in a way that felt all too familiar for a team still trying to find consistency in its own end.
Nikita Kucherov was at the center of the damage for Tampa Bay, and the sequence that followed Buffalos push only sharpened the frustration. After the Sabres allowed a goal on a backhand shot, the response on the bench said plenty about how the night was unfolding, and it left another reminder of how quickly a game can tilt when the margin for error disappears. [Read more 🡒]
Sabres Have A Tough Choice If Penguins Start Selling
If the Penguins decide to move veterans, Buffalo could have real reason to pay attention. Bryan Rust and Rickard Rakell both fit the kind of forward help the Sabres have been looking for, and either one would bring a different layer to a group that could use more proven scoring and playoff experience. Rust has long been valued for his all-around game, while Rakell has remained a name to watch in trade chatter because of what he can still provide offensively.
The fit is easy to see from Buffalos side, but the timing is complicated by what Pittsburgh does next. Rusts injury situation and Rakells recent surge only add to the intrigue, because the Penguins may not be in a hurry to make anything simple. For the Sabres, the question is whether they can strike if the market opens, and whether the price for that kind of upgrade becomes worth paying. [Read more 🡒]