Buffalo Sabres Overcome Anaheim Ducks in Tense Overtime Clash

Friday night’s NHL showdown saw Buffalo Sabres‘ Jiri Kulich steal the show, scoring an eleventh-hour goal with just under a minute left in overtime. This saw the Sabres rally back from trailing by two goals to clinch a 3-2 victory over the Anaheim Ducks.

Anaheim Ducks’ Winning Streak Snapped by Buffalo Sabres

Kulich’s crucial rebound shot, off an initial attempt by Sabres’ defenseman Owen Power, found the top right corner of the net. This was Kulich’s second goal of the season, marking a pivotal moment that ended the Ducks’ three-game winning spree. Peyton Krebs and Jason Zucker, who are both in good form, also marked their names on the scoresheet for Buffalo, contributing to their second consecutive victory and their third in the last four games.

Power, who aided with two assists, along with goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen’s 23 saves, played a significant role in the Sabres’ win. In contrast, Drew Helleson and Isac Lundestrom were the goal scorers for Anaheim, with their goalie, John Gibson, managing to block 31 shots.

Buffalo Sabres and Anaheim Ducks: Key Players and Moments

In the Sabres’ camp, center Tage Thompson, leading the team with 11 goals and 18 points, missed his fourth consecutive game owing to a lower-body injury. However, Coach Lindy Ruff is optimistic about Thompson’s return in their upcoming game against San Jose on Saturday.

For the Ducks, Trevor Zegras has been on a roll, tallying three assists in the last two games. A crucial turning point came when Krebs and Zucker netted two goals within a span of 50 seconds towards the end of the second period, leveling the game at 2-2. This marked the sixth instance of Buffalo scoring twice within a minute.

Zucker, who scored the equalizer with just 33 seconds left, now has goals in two successive games. Alex Tuch, who assisted Krebs’ goal, has managed to register points in five consecutive games, including a goal and six assists.

Key Statistics and What’s Next?

Despite their win, Buffalo saw their seven-game power-play goal streak come to an end, which was the longest of any team this season. In terms of what’s next, the Sabres are set to visit San Jose on Saturday, while the Ducks are due to host Seattle on Monday.