The Buffalo Sabres lost 2-1 to the Ottawa Senators on Wednesday at KeyBank Center, with Peyton Krebs scoring Buffalo's lone goal.
Samuel Ersson stopped 24 of 25 shots for Ottawa, while Colten Ellis made 28 saves for Buffalo, according to the NHL's official box score.
Ottawa holds Buffalo to one goal
Shane Pinto and Michael Amadio scored for the Senators, who outshot the Sabres 30-25. The game ended in regulation.
Zach Benson and Tage Thompson assisted on Krebs' goal. Ottawa received assists from Tim Stützle, Fabian Zetterlund, Philip Tomasino and Thomas Chabot.
No player scored a power-play goal. Ersson stopped both Buffalo power-play shots, and Ellis turned aside all five Ottawa power-play shots.
Beck Malenstyn led Buffalo with seven hits. Mattias Samuelsson blocked five shots, and Owen Power led the Sabres in ice time at 26:27.
Ottawa rallies in the third period
Buffalo carried a 1-0 lead into the third period after Peyton Krebs redirected a Tage Thompson shot for his first goal of the season. Zach Benson helped create the play by controlling an airborne puck before it went back to Thompson at the point, according to the team's recap.
Ellis stopped all 23 shots he faced through two periods. His early saves included a right-pad stop against Amadio less than two minutes into the game and a sprawling save during an Ottawa power play in the second period.
Pinto tied the game at 11:33 of the third, scoring on a rebound after Buffalo failed to convert a power play. It was the second of two Sabres power-play opportunities in the final period.
Amadio put Ottawa ahead with 3:09 remaining in regulation. Buffalo pulled Ellis for an extra attacker with less than two minutes left and kept the Senators pinned in their zone but could not score again.
The loss ended Buffalo's three-game winning streak. Both teams finished 0-for-2 on the power play.
Ruff and Krebs point to late mistakes
Buffalo fell to 7-5-3, and coach Lindy Ruff said Ottawa’s work rate and puck battles made the difference, according to the team’s postgame report.
“I thought we got outskated, I thought we got outworked,” Ruff said. He said the Senators created more odd-numbered situations and played smarter.
Ottawa’s forecheck forced an icing before Pinto’s tying goal. After the Senators won the faceoff, Ellis made the initial save, but Pinto was left uncovered to finish the rebound with 8:27 remaining.
The winning rush followed a poorly timed Buffalo pinch at the offensive blue line, allowing Ottawa to break out on a 3-on-2 and Amadio to get free on the left wing.
“They just played a simple, hard hockey game. They waited for us to make mistakes, and they capitalized,” Krebs said. He said Buffalo needed sharper details to avoid giving up late chances.
Ellis dropped to 3-2-0 despite his 28-save performance. Ottawa generated 3.27 expected goals, according to Stathletes figures cited by the team. Buffalo’s penalty kill went 2-for-2, marking its fourth game this season without allowing a power-play goal.
“We’ve got to win those hockey games,” Krebs said of carrying a one-goal lead into the third period. He said those wins are needed to reach the playoffs and succeed there.
Columbus visits Friday
The Sabres continue their four-game homestand Friday against the Columbus Blue Jackets. Faceoff is scheduled for 7 p.m., with MSG pregame coverage beginning at 6:30.
Buffalo will hold Hockey Fights Cancer Night, presented by Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center.
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