BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) Coming off what Guy Boucher called their “worst game of the year,” the Ottawa Senators impressed their coach with a comeback effort Wednesday night.
Bobby Ryan and Kyle Turris scored during a shootout, helping the Senators beat the Buffalo Sabres 2-1.
Backup goaltender Mike Condon made 31 saves, including eight in overtime, as the Senators rebounded from a 3-1 loss in Nashville on Tuesday and avenged a 2-1 loss to the Sabres at home Saturday.
“That’s a lot of resiliency,” Boucher said. “I’m really proud of the guys because that’s a tough back-to-back.”
Turris scored in the first round of the shootout to match Sam Reinhart‘s tally, and then Ryan put Ottawa ahead in the second round. Condon stopped Brian Gionta on Buffalo’s final attempt.
Ryan Dzingel got a tying goal for Ottawa 7:15 into the second period.
Nicholas Baptiste scored for Buffalo, and former Senator Robin Lehner made 28 saves while the Sabres lost their second in a row.
Buffalo controlled the action throughout overtime, outshooting Ottawa 8-0.
“We just possessed the puck the whole time for the most part and had some glorious chances to win the game,” Sabres coach Dan Bylsma said.
Zemgus Girgensons got a point-blank shot past Condon with 27 seconds remaining, but the puck ricocheted off the back of Condon’s skate and the left post.
“It’s funny how puck luck works,” Sabres defenseman Jake McCabe said. “Hopefully one of these days, the puck’s going to bounce our way. But we just got to keep doing the right things, create our own luck.”
Condon has won both of his starts for the Senators since being acquired in a trade with Pittsburgh on Nov. 2. He made 27 saves in a 1-0 shutout of Vancouver in his debut.
“It’s great for a guy to come in and make his presence known like that,” Dzingel said. “Hats off to him. Two great games.”
Baptiste gave Buffalo a 1-0 lead 2:49 into the first. Derek Grant‘s faceoff win and a quick pass from Cole Schneider set up Baptiste’s wrist shot from the left circle. It was Baptiste’s second career goal and Schneider’s first point.
The Senators tied it when Dzingel split defensemen Dmitry Kulikov and Rasmus Ristolainen and lifted a shot from the left slot over Lehner’s blocking pad. Dzingel has scored four of his five goals on the road this season.
Buffalo killed three penalties spanning 4:36 in the second period, including a 5-on-3 that lasted 1:24.
Forward Evander Kane returned to the Sabres top line after missing 11 games with cracked ribs, but Buffalo was still without its top two centers, Ryan O'Reilly and Jack Eichel. O’Reilly is day-to-day with an upper body injury, Bylsma said. Eichel has yet to play this season due to a high ankle sprain, but Bylsma said he could be cleared for on-ice workouts next week.
NOTES:
Senators F Chris Neil missed the game with an undisclosed injury. Ottawa recalled F Mike Blunden to replace Neil on the fourth line. … F Tyler Ennis sat out for Buffalo with a mid-body injury. … Buffalo recalled Schneider from the minors and sent down F Hudson Fasching. Schneider was tied for the AHL scoring lead with 15 points.
UP NEXT:
Senators: Host Los Angeles on Friday.
Sabres: Host New Jersey on Friday.
