Late heroics from Alex Tuch were the difference in a 3-2 comeback victory for the Buffalo Sabres against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Friday (Nov. 24). Tuch’s goal, coupled with Jeff Skinner’s goal and assist, helped fuel the Sabres’ resurgence. Kyle Okposo’s spirited play also inspired the team’s comeback.
Sabres coach Don Granato praised Okposo’s leadership, emphasizing the collective team effort. Sidney Crosby and Lars Eller scored for the Penguins, who struggled to push back. Rasmus Dahlin reached milestones with his 200th assist and 250th point.
Item One: Kyle Okposo: Breaks Goal Drought in Sabres’ 3-2 Victory
Okposo scored for the first time this season in Friday’s 3-2 win against the Penguins. The veteran forward’s crucial goal came at 10:52 of the third period, tying the game at 2-2. On the goal, he was assisted by Dahlin and Victor Olofsson.
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Okposo not only scored the goal but also displayed an offensive presence with five shots on goal. In addition to his offensive contribution, Okposo posted a plus-1 rating and won three of the five faceoffs he took during the game.
Item Two: Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen Lifts Sabres to 3-2 Victory
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen turned away 31 of 33 shots in the Sabres’ 3-2 win against the Penguins. Despite falling behind by a score of 2-0 after the first two periods, Luukkonen held his ground in the crease and allowed his team’s offense to mount a comeback. They responded by scoring one on the power play and two even-strength goals in the third period.
The 24-year-old Finnish goaltender has now won two straight games. He’s looking like the strongest of the Sabres’ three goalies. In his four appearances on home ice, Luukkonen now has put up a solid 2-1-0 record. On the season, he has played in 10 games, faced 531 shots, allowed 24 goals, put up one shutout, and carries a goals-against average (GAA) of 2.71 and a save percentage (SV%) of .914.
Item Three: Jeff Skinner Scores with the Man Advantage
Skinner scored a power-play goal and contributed an even-strength assist in Friday’s 3-2 home victory over the Penguins. His goal at 5:13 of the third period narrowed the Penguins’ lead to 2-1. He now has scored two goals and added an assist over his last three games.
Item Four: Victor Olofsson Registers Two Assists in the Sabres Win
Olofsson contributed two assists to his team’s victory. One assist was the secondary assist on Skinner’s power-play goal. After being held scoreless in six games in October, he has been on fire lately. He’s put up two goals and added four assists (for six points) in the past five games.
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Given that Tage Thompson is out for an extended period of time, Olofsson has been a mainstay in the Sabres’ success.
Item Five: Alex Tuch Has Two-Point Game vs. the Penguins
Tuch had a solid game against the Penguins with a two-point night. He earned the primary assist that cut the lead to 2-1 on Skinner’s power-play goal. Later in the game, he scored his own goal to break a 2-2 tie to lift the team to a win.
Tuch has scored five goals, including two game-winners, in his past six games.
What’s Next for the Sabres?
Zemgus Girgensons left Friday’s game against the Penguins due to a lower-body injury and did not return. He has scored two goals in 20 games this season. At the time this post was written, there was no further word on his status for tonight’s game.
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The Sabres are now down to 10 forwards due to injuries. However, the team is showing resilience and overcame adversity in Friday’s win. Can they do it again against the New Jersey Devils in their next game later today?
