BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — Noah Ostlund’s first NHL goal and 33 saves from Alex Lyon allowed the Sabres to extend their point streak before Clayton Keller scored 47 seconds into overtime to give the Utah Mammoth a 2-1 victory Tuesday night at KeyBank Center.
Losing in overtime for the fourth time in five games, Buffalo (5-4-4) has secured a point in the standings in seven straight games for the first time in three seasons. The streak began with consecutive wins in regulation over division opponents, and includes Saturday night’s shootout victory against the Washington Capitals.
Where the Sabres stand
In the early stages of what is shaping into a tight playoff race in the Eastern Conference, the Sabres are one of six teams tied for ninth with 14 points, one point behind behind the Toronto Maple Leafs in for the top wild-card spot, and one point above the Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers in last place. The Sabres hold few tiebreakers with their lagging regulation win total.
“If we find a way to keep getting points, find a way to continue to stick around, that’s a good thing,” said Lyon, who is now 3-4-3 with a 2.80 goals against average and .915 save percentage in his first 10 starts for the Sabres. “I also think the next step is available for us where maybe we start to take over. But credit to the guys – continued to battle all night with a tough lineup situation.”
OT breakdown
Alex Tuch had a solid scoring chance at the start of overtime before the Mammoth rushed back for the winning goal.
“You get your opportunity, you get your look, you got to take it,” Sabres coach Lindy Ruff said. “And we took it. I just didn’t like the way we processed the play after that.”
Ruff said Lyon “played great,” noting that “with the number of bodies and the pieces we had to move around, we needed our goalie to play well.”
Prospects meet challenge
The Sabres were undermanned against the Mammoth, missing forwards Jason Zucker and Juri Kulich due to illness. Top line forwards Zach Benson and Josh Norris remain out with injuries, causing the Sabres to call up multiple prospects from Rochester.
Ostlund, the 21-year-old center Buffalo drafted 16th overall in 2022 and making his 13th NHL appearance, scored the tying goal for the Sabres at 7:50 into the third period when the puck bounced back to him after an initial shot sailed over the net. Fellow rookie Isak Rosen got an assist, tipping the puck off the top of the net back to Ostlund, one game after the 14th overall pick from 2021 scored his first NHL goal.
“We need their skill, we need their scoring ability that they’ve shown in the minors,” Ruff said. “This is the next step for them. This is the opportunity they’re waiting for. All of a sudden, they get 14, 15 minutes, and I think they’ve taken advantage of it. Both guys have played extremely well for us.”
With Josh Dunne scoring his first goal last week against the Blue Jackets, it’s the second time in Sabres history that three players have gotten their first NHL goals within eight days. Richard Smehlik, Viktor Gourdiouk and Yuri Khmylev did so in October, 1992.
Peterka’s return
JJ Peterka had three shots on goal and didn’t find his way on to the scoresheet in his return to Buffalo following an offseason trade. The Sabres did not acknowledge Peterka with a video or graphic on the scoreboard during the game.
Buffalo got an energetic game from Michael Kesselring, the defenseman acquired along with forward Josh Doan in the Peterka trade. Kesselring had two shots on goal, two hits and four blocked shots against his former team. He was stopped at the doorstep on a high-grade chance early on by Utah goalie Karel Vejmelka.
Nick Schmaltz’s eighth goal of the season, with an assist from Keller, gave Utah the lead for three minutes of a game that was scoreless for two periods.
Up next
The Sabres host the St. Louis Blues on Thursday night.
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Jonah Bronstein joined the WIVB squad in 2022 as a digital sports reporter. The Buffalonian has covered the Bills, Sabres, Bandits, Bisons, colleges, high schools and other notable sporting events in Western New York since 2005, for publications including The Associated Press, The Buffalo News, and Niagara Gazette. Read more of his work here.