Amadio's Late Winner Lifts Senators Past Sabres 2-1 To Close Out Road Trip

For all the concerns about the Senators' goaltending this season, Samuel Ersson is starting to give the club some reason for optimism.

Ersson turned aside 24 of 25 shots on Wednesday night, and Michael Amadio scored a beautiful game-winning goal with just under four minutes remaining to lift the Senators to a 2-1 victory over the Buffalo Sabres.

The victory was Ersson's second straight, allowing just one goal in each victory. The Sens improved their record to 10-6-1 as they wrapped up their five-game road trip with a 2-2-1 record.

It wasn't a particularly flashy performance by the Senators, but it was certainly a patient and disciplined one. Despite trailing for much of the evening, they stuck to their defensive game plan, didn't try to force things offensively, and eventually found a way to break through against Sabres goaltender Colton Ellis.

After a scoreless opening period, Buffalo struck first when Peyton Krebs got credit for a goal that was more fortunate than anything else. Tage Thompson fired a shot from the point that deflected off Krebs' shin pad and past Ersson.

It was the only blemish on an otherwise excellent night for the Senators goaltender, who had no chance on the deflection.

The Sabres, wearing their new Hometown Remix jerseys, carried that 1-0 advantage into the third period, but the Senators never appeared to lose their composure.

Their patience finally paid off at 11:33 of the final frame, thanks to a well-executed play off an offensive-zone faceoff.

Shane Pinto won the draw back to Thomas Chabot, who found Philip Tomasino alone in front. Tomasino was denied on the initial opportunity, but Pinto followed up the play and easily backhanded it past Ellis to tie the game.

That set the stage for Amadio's winner, a terrific sequence that was powered by Tim Stützle.

With just under four minutes remaining, Stützle chipped the puck out of the Sens zone and blew past Buffalo defenceman Rasmus Dahlin. Fabian Zetterlund picked up the puck and rushed it into the Sabres' zone. Zetterlund left a drop pass for Stützle who saucered a perfect pass over to Amadio, and he got just enough of his one-timer to send the puck upstairs.

It was Amadio's fifth goal of the season, and it couldn't have come at a better time.

The entire sequence was a thing of beauty, from Stützle's initial move to get the rush started to Amadio's finish.

With that assist, Stützle has already tied Alexei Yashin (273) for the fifth-most assists in Senators history.

Ridly Greig missed the game and is listed as day to day with a lower body injury. Hayden Hodgson returned after his two game suspension. Defenseman Tyler Kleven was under the weather so Carter Yakemchuk got a chance to get back in the lineup.

The Senators outshot Buffalo 30-25, but for a good long stretch, it was starting to look like one of those games where the puck wasn't going to cooperate around the opponent's net.

But to their credit, the Senators resisted the temptation to open things up like they did in the Anaheim disaster on Sunday. They continued to play the kind of structured, patient game that's brought them success, trusting that their opportunities would eventually come.

And when they did, they made them count.

Ersson deserves plenty of credit as well. With Linus Ullmark sidelined, the Senators have been looking for some stability between the pipes, and Ersson has now delivered consecutive victories.

That's exactly what the Senators need from their number two.

After a road trip that featured its share of injuries, lineup changes and adversity, the Senators will gladly take the two points and head home on a winning note.

They'll return to Canadian Tire Centre on Saturday night to face the Utah Mammoth, with puck drop scheduled for 7 p.m.

And they'll have a little more reason to feel good about their goaltending situation.

By Steve Warne
The Hockey News Ottawa