Nilsson shines, Sabres win in SO
Gavin Howard
The Buffalo Sabres picked up their second consecutive win with a 1-0 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs in a shootout on Thursday.
Matt Moulson scored the lone goal of the entire contest in the fourth round. Sabres goaltender Anders Nilsson was perfect on the night, stopping all 23 shots he faced and all four in the shootout.
"I think we were the better team over the 65 minutes. I still feel I have some things to get better on. I think tonight's game was more of a team shutout." – Anders Nilsson
Richard Clune put a big hit on Brendan Guhle, causing the doors to open and play to stop:
The Sabres came out hot to start the game as they brought the pressure. They tested Leafs' goaltender Garret Sparks and outshot Toronto 11-4 with both Evander Kane and Alexander Nylander looking sharp early on.
For the first time in their careers Alex and his brother William Nylander had the chance to play each other for the first time. The matchup will occur often with the two teams both in the Atlantic Division. In a 1-0 game, neither recorded a point.
The Sabres had their chances to score in regulation, including a 5-on-3 power play in the second period. Despite a couple of good looks, they were unable to find the back of the net.
The extra period featured a heavy dose of Kyle Okposo, Johan Larsson and Cody Franson as the trio continued the barrage. Kasimir Kaskisuo, who came in for Sparks on an expected change, made an excellent save with 17 seconds remaining as Kane and Josh Gorges found themselves with a 2-on-1.
The Sabres finished last season with a 2-7 shootout record, but we're able to win this one, which could be a good sign. Despite taking four rounds to do it, fans will be happy with the Matt Moulson goal and the team win.
All three preseason games have been decided by one goal. After dropping the opener to Minnesota, 2-1, the Sabres have defeated the Ottawa Senators (3-2 in overtime) and now the Maple Leafs (1-0 in a shootout).
These two teams will faceoff again on Friday night at KeyBank Center to complete the home-and-home series. It's the last time they will play each other until November 3rd in the regular season.
The Sabres have Friday's game against Toronto left, followed by a pair vs. Carolina and one more against Ottawa to close out the preseason.