Buffalo sets franchise record with a 4-1 win over the Stars
The Buffalo Sabres tied a franchise record with their 10th straight win in Dallas on New Year’s Eve, pulling away for a 4-1 victory over the Stars at American Airlines Center. The Sabres fell behind in the first period, but rallied with goals from Josh Doan and Bowen Byram in the middle frame and pulled away with a pair from Tage Thompson in the third. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen made 28 saves for his third straight victory.
Sabres head coach Lindy Ruff commented after the game:
What impressed you about the club’s performance against one the league’s top teams?
The fact that it was a real tight game, until the third period, when we got a couple and were able to win the game. It wasn't the start we wanted, but I think the confidence in the team is that we can come back and win games.
Do you have to say anything to the team when you fall behind like you did?
You don't say anything. We didn't handle a puck well in the neutral zone, and gave them an opportunity, and I thought the response the rest of the game was good.
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What does it take for a team to win 10 games in a row?
You've got to have a lot of things going for you. I mean some nights your goalies win you games. I think some nights your top guys win you games when you're on a roll like this. And then there's nights where a line like Dunne's line has a big night and controls the game and helps you win a game. But there's a lot of little things from the blocked shots, to being in lanes, to slowing people up going in the zone. Every night there's probably something a little bit different that helps you win.
What does it tell you when players are blocking shots late in a game when you are up by three goals?
It tells you where we're at. A guy like (Noah) Ostlund, who got in front of a shot when it was 4-1. You look at the kill we had in the third period was a great kill. I look at the one play where UPL (made a) great poke check on their guy to take away another great chance. So the desperation inside the game, the wall battles, I thought were real good. It was like a playoff game. It was two good teams playing hockey.
How would you describe the game that Luukkonen played tonight?
I thought he played excellent. In the last while here, he's played very good hockey for us, That's the key to getting on a on a run to, it's usually your goaltenders. He's usually making those big saves at big times and our goalies have been giving us the big saves.
What sparked Thompson’s third period outburst?
Hunger to win. He saw an opportunity. Great battle around net front. I thought that line did a good job down low, around their goaltender. And then the next one, he just fired a rocket. You give him that much time from there, and he hit his mark. We've seen before, where he scores a lot of goals from there.
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