Buffalo 3, Minnesota 2
When: 6:00 PM ET, Saturday, November 17, 2018
Where: Xcel Energy Center, Saint Paul, Minnesota
Referees:
Dean Morton, Brad Watson
Linesmen:
Steve Barton, Greg Devorski
Attendance:
18947
By Field Level Media
Jason Pominville kept Buffalo's winning streak alive in dramatic fashion, scoring with just 90 seconds remaining to give the visiting Sabres a 3-2 comeback win over the Minnesota Wild on Saturday.
After falling behind 2-0 in the first period, the Sabres scored three unanswered goals, capped off by Pominville's late-game strike. After Jack Eichel shot the puck into the Wild's end, it took an unusual deflection right into Pominville's path, and the winger converted for his ninth goal of the season.
The Sabres have now won five straight games, their longest winning streak since March 2012.
Pominville, Jake McCabe and Rasmus Dahlin each had a goal and an assist for Buffalo, with Dahlin scoring the equalizer at the 12:58 mark of the third period. During a scramble in front of the net, the puck came loose after goaltender Devan Dubnyk stopped Eichel's initial shot, with Dahlin in position to find the back of the net.
After missing the Wild's last game due to illness, Zach Parise marked his return to the lineup by scoring four minutes into the first period. The goal was the 341st of Parise's career, giving him the most goals of any Minnesota-born player in NHL history.
The Wild struck again at 7:45 of the first period, with Matt Dumba scoring a power-play goal on a booming slapshot from just inside the blue line. Dumba has found the net in each of Minnesota's last three games, and his eight goals this season are the second-most of any defenseman in the league.
Buffalo was outshot by an 18-9 margin in the opening period, though defenseman McCabe put the Sabres on the board at the 14:52 mark. Dahlin made a nice move to carry the puck in front of the Wild's net and then passed to a wide-open McCabe on the side for the conversion.
Backup goaltender Linus Ullmark saved 37 of 39 shots for the Sabres, paving the way for his team's comeback despite the Wild's 39-29 shot advantage. Dubnyk had 26 saves.
Minnesota lost for just the second time in regulation on its home ice this season, dropping to 6-2-2 at the Xcel Energy Center.
--Field Level Media
Top Game Performances
| Buffalo |
|
Minnesota |
|
Rasmus Dahlin 2 |
Points |
Matt Dumba 1 |
|
Rasmus Dahlin 1 |
Goals |
Matt Dumba 1 |
|
Jack Eichel 2 |
Assists |
Mikko Koivu 1 |
|
N/A |
Power Play Goals |
Matt Dumba 1 |
|
N/A |
Short Handed Goals |
N/A |
|
Linus Ullmark .949 |
Save Percentage |
Devan Dubnyk .897 |
|
Linus Ullmark 37 |
Saves |
Devan Dubnyk 26 |
Team Stats Summary
| Team |
Shots |
Goals |
Power Play |
Penalty Kill |
Penalty Mins |
Face Offs Won |
| Buffalo
|
29 |
3 |
0-1 |
2-3 |
6 |
20 |
| Minnesota
|
39 |
2 |
1-3 |
1-1 |
2 |
30 |
Upcoming Games
-
Minnesota will play their next game on the road against Chicago. The Wild have a W/L % of .583 after a win and .625 after a loss.
-
Buffalo will play their next game on the road against Pittsburgh. The Sabres have a W/L % of .583 after a win and .625 after a loss.
For more information, contact us