St. Louis Blues succumb in overtime to Buffalo…fourth loss in a row

Both of these teams are on the outside looking in for a playoff spot…and it’s still early. Buffalo with the longest playoff drought in the NHL at 13 seasons.

Blues need a fast start…

Jordan Binnington gets the start in net for the Blues and Devon Levi for the Sabres. Buffalo with the shot advantage early, five shots in the first three minutes…but Binnington makes a couple BIG time saves. Brandon Saad finds the back of the net from the slot at 3:11 into the period for his third of the season off a great pass from behind the net from Brayden Schenn, Colton Parakyo also with an assist…third shot of the game. Solid start!

Buffalo get a power play with just over nine minutes left…the penalty kill  had been 16 of the last 18…and just as the penalty expired Buffalo gets one under the pad of Binnington as Jordan leaned away from the post. The Sabres ninth shot of the game. While it felt like a power play goal against…Blues have now killed17 of the last 19.

With just over three minutes left the Blues win the faceoff but fail to clear the puck and with four or five players screening Binnington, a shot from the point beats him stick side…never saw the 13 shot for Buffalo. Sabres lead after one period 2 to 1, with the edge in shots 16 to eight.

Tell me if you’ve heard this one before…Playing from behind…again…

Less than two minutes in…Pierre-Olivier Joseph goes awkwardly into the boards and needs attention from the training staff and heads to the locker room. Another injury to a defenseman. At 2:30 another shorthanded situation for the Blues…no shots allowed 18 for 20 on the kill.

Blues tie it at two on a good entry into the Sabres zone by Jordan Kyrou who pushed the defenseman back and drops the puck to Pavel Buchnevich, who snipes it low stick side from the
slot for his fifth of the season…5:25 into the second period. Jake Neighbours gets the secondary assist.

With 2:45 left in the period…bad bounces…in this case – great bounces – go the Blues way as they lead to Saad’s second goal of the game from right outside the blue paint. Coach Drew Bannister looking like the evil genius moving Saad to the Schenn line along with Dylan Holloway, who assist on the goal. Blues lead after two periods 3 to 2. Buffalo still has the lead in shots 26 to 19. Blues win the period two goals to none. Much better forecheck during the period.

LET’S GO BLUES!!

Blues are 5-1-0 when leading after two periods (Boston loss). No Pierre-Olivier Joseph for the third period…lower body injury. Saad on the hat trick watch. Safe play did the Blues in against Boston on Tuesday night…need a different outcome.

Buffalo wins a battle in the corner to the right of Binnington and the puck comes out to the point and shot is initially saved by Jordan but a scramble in front…including a bump of Binnington by a Sabres player…Blues challenge the goal for goaltender interference…NO GOAL!! 15 minutes left…

With 10 minutes left…Binnington standing tall….Blues blocking shots right and left…six in the period so far. Brayden Schenn, Radek Faksa, and Scott Perunovich sacrificing their limbs.

Seven minutes left…Sabres behind the net with a pass against the grain and Binnington is out of position at the opposite post…tie game at three. 32nd shot for Buffalo.

Oskar Sundqvist runs over the Buffalo goaltender and takes a delayed penalty that the Sabres milk for over 50 seconds through the end of the period to take it to overtime. Smart play by the Sabres to get the 4-on-3 advantage in overtime. Shots 32 to 27 through regulation.

OT…

Blues shorthanded…4-on-3…1:33 in and its over…a blast from the right circle on a good passing play beats Binnington over his shoulder. Rasmus Dahlin the Sabres Captain wins it! Their only shot recorded of the OT.

Observations: Buffalo had a lot of traffic in front of Binnington all game…the WTF line (Nate Walker, Alexey Toropchenko, Faksa) played a solid aggressive game…Pavel Buchnevich and Jordan Kyrou getting multiple chances feeding off each other…Binnington still trailing Mike Liut for all time wins...