WASHINGTON — Alex Tuch made his first meeting with Buffalo count, scoring twice for the Washington Capitals and ending the Sabres’ night with a high-slot snap shot 3:42 into overtime. The 4-3 loss left Buffalo with another point, but also another reminder that chasing games has become its early-season routine.
Capitals erase Buffalo’s early edge
The Sabres carried a 2-1 lead into the final minutes of the first period before Tuch’s attempted pass toward the middle struck Tage Thompson’s stick and slipped past Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen at 16:10. Washington completed the turnaround in the second, with Dylan Strome scoring his second of the game at 17:24 to put the Capitals ahead 3-2.
Buffalo answered early in the third when Noah Ostlund tied the game 2:20 into the period. The Sabres had two power-play chances after drawing even, but could not generate the go-ahead goal.
Tuch, facing Buffalo for the first time since the June 24 sign-and-trade that sent him to Washington, settled the matter in overtime. Jack Quinn lost track of Tuch in coverage, and the former Sabre beat Luukkonen inside the left post.
- Final score: Capitals 4, Sabres 3 in overtime.
- Buffalo record: 4-4-3 through 11 games.
- Tuch scored two goals, including the overtime winner.
- Luukkonen stopped 30 of 34 shots.
- The result opened a four-game Buffalo road trip.
Second-period trouble keeps putting Sabres in a hole
Buffalo has trailed entering the third period in 10 of its first 11 games. The club has been outscored 18-7 in second periods, a split that has repeatedly erased solid starts and forced the Sabres to lean on late pushes.
The third-period work has kept them afloat more often than not. Buffalo holds a 12-4 edge in third-period scoring and has earned at least one point in six games in which it entered the final frame behind, producing a 3-4-3 mark in those situations. Still, forward Josh Doan said the club cannot keep waiting until the last 20 minutes to play with urgency.
“Our third periods have been really good,” Doan said, adding that the Sabres need to bring that same edge earlier rather than repeatedly creating their own deficit.
Captain Rasmus Dahlin pointed to the need for a full-game approach after another strong opening period did not hold up.
“We start well, then maybe get comfortable after the first,” Dahlin said. “It is a 60-minute game. We have to keep pushing every shift.”
Luukkonen receives support as Buffalo searches for answers
Luukkonen’s line now sits at 3-3-3 with a 3.56 goals-against average and an .866 save percentage. But the Sabres did not pin Saturday’s loss on their goaltender, with Doan citing breakdowns around the net on Strome’s goal and the overtime winner.
“We have let him down,” Doan said of Luukkonen, known around the room as “Upie.” “Everybody knows how competitive he is and what he gives this team. We owe him an apology.”
Goaltending has been under particular scrutiny after offseason trade speculation involving Luukkonen and Connor Hellebuyck. Hellebuyck, a three-time Vezina Trophy winner, had requested a trade from Winnipeg before being dealt to the New Jersey Devils on Friday. General manager Jarmo Kekalainen recently assured Luukkonen that he would not be moved.
Coach Lindy Ruff said the uncertainty can weigh on players when their names circulate in trade talk, even if everyone understands it is part of the business. Ruff hoped Hellebuyck’s move would remove some of that background noise for Luukkonen and the team.
Buffalo’s team save percentage of .863 ranks 31st in the NHL. Colten Ellis is 1-1-0 with a 3.19 goals-against average and an .864 save percentage, while Alex Lyon has remained unavailable since suffering an upper-body injury in the preseason. Lyon shared much of the crease with Luukkonen last season, leaving Luukkonen with a heavier workload this time around.
Ruff wants to see whether consecutive starts can help Luukkonen regain the rhythm he showed during Buffalo’s Atlantic Division-winning season. The 27-year-old went 22-9-3 last year with a 2.52 goals-against average, a .910 save percentage and one shutout as the Sabres snapped a 14-season playoff drought.
“We want to give UPL some back-to-back work and see whether he can find that groove,” Ruff said.
California trip offers a chance to reset
Expectations rose after Buffalo came within one overtime game of the Eastern Conference Final last spring, falling 3-2 to the Montreal Canadiens in Game 7. This season’s issues have come in several areas beyond the second-period deficits.
- The Sabres are 4-for-38 on the power play, a 10.5 percent rate.
- They are 27-for-39 on the penalty kill, good for 69.2 percent.
- Defensive-zone coverage mistakes have contributed to key goals against.
- Buffalo is 0-1-2 over its past three games, though it has collected two overtime points.
The Sabres now head west for the remaining three games of the trip, beginning Tuesday against the San Jose Sharks. Puck drop is scheduled for 10:30 p.m. ET, with ESPN and SN360 carrying the game.
“We got a point tonight, and now we go to California,” Dahlin said. “It should be fun. We have to keep working, and it will turn around.”
