Ottawa Senators legend, Craig Anderson, was honored at the Canadian Tire Centre, but it was the high-scoring offenses of the Buffalo Sabres that stole the spotlight in a 6-4 victory.
Despite a furious comeback attempt by the Senators, the Sabres managed to secure the win with a second goal from Tage Thompson in the empty net during the final seconds of the match.
Jeff Skinner was the standout performer for the Sabres, scoring twice, while Zemgus Girgensons and Alex Tuch also found the back of the net. Ottawa’s goals came courtesy of Jakob Chychrun, Vladimir Tarasenko, Josh Norris, and Mathieu Joseph.
The Senators’ goaltender, Anton Forsberg, was replaced by Joonas Korpisalo after allowing five goals on 18 shots in the first two periods. The Sabres’ Ukko-Pekka Luukonen earned the win in goal.
The Senators narrowly avoided a potentially devastating injury when their captain, Brady Tkachuk, left the game briefly in the second period. Luckily, Tkachuk returned for the third period, but it had little impact on the team’s performance.
The loss was a disappointment for the Senators, especially on a night dedicated to Craig Anderson, who signed a one-day contract to retire as a member of the team he played with for 10 years.
Despite a promising start, the Senators couldn’t maintain their energy as the Sabres quickly took control of the game. Skinner opened the scoring, followed by Girgensons tipping in a point shot from Connor Clifton.
The Senators had a chance to get back in the game with a 5-on-3 power play, but the Sabres successfully killed it off. Skinner extended Buffalo’s lead with a fortunate bounce off Forsberg.
Chychrun’s goal provided a brief spark for the Senators, but it was quickly extinguished by two quick goals from the Sabres. The Senators’ late surge was too little, too late.
Notably, Tkachuk showed no ill effects from his earlier injury when he engaged in a fight with Tuch, delivering a knockout punch in the third period.
In a unique twist, Anderson dropped the ceremonial puck for the faceoff, featuring the two starting goalies rather than the team captains. Artem Zub was absent from the Senators’ lineup due to an ear injury.
Looking ahead, the Senators will visit the New York Islanders, while the Sabres will face the New Jersey Devils.
This report was first published on October 24, 2023, by James Gordon of The Canadian Press.
