The Buffalo Sabers may be mired in a record NHL playoff drought, but they appear to be saving their best for the Ottawa Senators.
On the eve of the league’s three-day Christmas break, Bowen Byram scored his second goal of the game, 31 seconds into overtime, to give the Sabers a 3-2 victory at the Canadian Tire Center (17.753) on Tuesday night.
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This is the Sabres’ sixth straight victory over Ottawa and their seventh straight win overall.
Tim Stützle and Ridly Greig scored for the Senators, whose four-game winning streak ended. Greig’s goal tied the score at 1, late in the first period, taking a deft backhand on a 2-on-1. Stutzle’s goal tied the score at 2 in the second, a fierce wrist shot from the high slot that came off the post and in. That goal came midway through the second period and both teams stopped it afterward.
In overtime, Ryan McLeod circulated the puck down the left wing in the Ottawa zone, and with Artem Zub and Jake Sanderson backing up a little too far, McLeod had the easiest passing seam to pass the puck to Byram. It appears Byram didn’t quite get it on his one-timer attempt, so the puck looked a bit like a changeup throw. passing Ullmark as he slid from his right to his left.
Ullmark made 22 saves in the loss, ending his personal four-game winning streak. Alex Lyon made 24 saves for the victory.
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The Sens also missed a chance to enter the Christmas break with a playoff berth. With the point in regulation, they entered the break with an excellent 5-1-1 record in their last seven games, one point behind the Florida Panthers and one point ahead of the surging Sabres.
The Senators’ next game will be Saturday night in Toronto against the Maple Leafs (7 p.m.).
By Steve Warne
Ottawa hockey news
