Tage Thompson scored at 3:07 in overtime, and Dustin Tokarski saved 24 to win the Buffalo Sabres victory over the Calgary Flames by 1-0 on Friday night.
Buffalo (21-33-8), split the first two games on its Western Canada road trip. It concludes Sunday night in Vancouver.
It was a rare home point for Calgary (37-16-8), who is 15-1-2 in the Saddledome’s last 18 games.
Tokarski (6-9-44) received his second career shutout, and first since 2013-14 when he was with the Montreal Canadiens.
He said, “I’ll work to get more in the future.”
Jacob Markstrom was able to stop 33 shots, and fall to 29-11-7.
Markstrom made a crucial mistake in the final goal after playing an excellent game. Markstrom ran out to the net to get rid of a puck that had been hit from the sideboards. However, in trying to make it safe, he misjudged the puck and Thompson was there to catch it and put it in the empty net.
It’s hard to watch. Marky did a great job tonight for us. “Kept us in the match multiple times,” Flames center Mikael backlund stated.
The season-low 24 shots was a disappointment for the Flames, who are leading the Pacific Division.
It’s not difficult to score in October or November. Coach Darryl Sutter stated that you have to dig deeper into the mud. “That’s individual, get in there and dig.”
Tokarski’s save of the night was also a contender for save-of-the-season. He dived across the crease to remove what seemed to be Calle Jarnkrok’s goal. Tokarski was set up with an empty net by Andrew Mangiapane and was given a perfect pass.
Thompson stated, “That was absurd.” Thompson said, “I saw the dive across. “I thought they had scored, but I didn’t hear any. So I checked the replay. It was amazing. It’s not surprising, however. He does this to everyone in practice.”
To get his glove, it took all of Tokarski’s 6-foot frame and his entire arm.
“Just challenged (Mangiapane), and he made a pass. Tokarski said that he was behind and off balance, so he just dived over there and tried my best to make a save. His family drove five hours from Saskatoon to be there.
After Buffalo was beaten 6-1 in Edmonton, the Sabres won the win. In the back of their back-to-back games, the Sabres were 1-6-4.
Coach Don Granato stated, “Last night may’ve been one of the worst games of the year. Tonight was up there with the best,”. “I loved the enthusiasm of our players to win. “I thought the collective effort was fantastic.”
Jarnkrok made the Flames debut on Wednesday, after Jarnkrok was purchased from the Seattle Kraken for three draft selections. He was centered with Tyler Toffoli and Mangiapane, who were acquired February 14.
Calgary had the best chance to win in the third period.
Johnny Gaudreau saw Chris Tanev coming in from the point, and hit him with a diagonal passing. But Tokarski was able to get across the line and rob the defenseman.
Four minutes remained in the third. Matthew Tkachuk broke Gaudreau’s neck on a breakaway. But he scored just before the end.
It’s a good point. Sutter stated that it could be the point that makes you in the playoffs. It’s a great point for us. “It wasn’t a score, but I got a point.”
NOTES: Buffalo made a lineup change and added Robert Hagg to the defense. Jarnkrok Markstrom, Elias Lindholm, and Markstrom are all from Gavle in Sweden, which has a population of 75,000. Flames RW Brett Ritchie, who scored his first goal of this season on Wednesday, was scratched.
NEXT
Sabres: Saturday Night at the Vancouver Canucks
Flames: At Vancouver on Sunday night.
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