Top Notes
- Buffalo rallied from a two-goal deficit for the second time this season (1/31 at BOS). They overcame a third-period two-goal deficit for the first time since a 6-5 OT win on April 3, 2012 vs. BOS.
- With his first goal, Thomas Vanek became the sixth player in Sabres history to reach the 20-point mark in 10 or fewer games played.
- With a two-goal night, Vanek has now recorded five multi-point games in his first 10 games played. Dating back to last season, Vanek has 32 points (12+20) in his last 20 games.
- Tyler Ennis tied his career high with three points (6x, last: 3/23/12 at NYR). Ennis now has 101 career points (42+59) in 151 games.
Top Quotes
Sabres forward Marcus Foligno:
On the tying goal: “It’s just one of those things where you know you have time and you know you want to rush it, so I got a nice pass from the defense in the middle and had space, gave it to Pominville out wide and he dished it back to me and I was able to get a little step on the defense and you have to dish it deep. In those situations you have to go to the front of the net and hopefully get an opportunity. We had Ott and Vanek in there pushing away and it was similar to a goal last year against Toronto. Just stuff like that, you just got to hold onto it for that last second and just throw it in the crease and just get shots on net.”
On his role in tying the game with 2 seconds left: “We had a faceoff and I screwed up and threw back a little too fast and Pominville and our defense were able to get it back. It’s something you just have to get the puck on the net and make sure all five guys are driving to the net. Time was running out and it was a good desperation play.”
On having a mult-point night: “It’s always good to get points and just be able to get back in the game, especially with the power play. With the penalty kill, we just have to be a bit better on that. We just have to have a better mind 5-on-5 and it’s nice for me to get the points, but we have to keep working hard.”
Sabres forward Tyler Ennis:
On his goal: “I was trying to judge that backcheck, I tried to get as much of an angle as I could and I kind of had a similar goal last year, maybe two years ago against Atlanta or Winnipeg, where I had a partial breakaway and I shot short side and it worked on that.”
On the tying goal: “That is a huge goal by Vanek. He was rewarded, he had a lot of chances tonight and he’s staying hot. That goal symbolizes what we’ve been stressing in the last few days; just getting the pucks to the net and bodies there and working as hard as you can to get those second and third opportunities and it led to Vanek scoring on his knees there.”
On the lack of power play conversion in the second period: “Yeah, it’s frustrating. There was a little sense of relief when we scored on the power play there. We had some good looks before, but we can still clean it up on our entries and getting pucks back and I’m sure we will work on that a little bit tomorrow.”
Sabres forward Thomas Vanek:
On unconverted chances: “Through a portion I could have had two or three and thought to myself, maybe it’s just one of those nights, but just keep going, and in the end I got rewarded and the team got two points that we really needed.”
On the tying goal: “We talked about it, I don’t know what game it was but we had a 6-on-5 and it seemed like I was the only one up front and played the perimeter. So I think I talked the guys and we practiced it and said we need more pucks, more bodies and there were plenty of bodies in there and we found a way to get it in.”
On the atmosphere after the tying goal: “It was a feeling that we finally got a point that we needed so that was a good feeling. Again, I know the fans are frustrated — and so are we — but the louder our building is, the more fired up we are going to be and we need the people throughout the building, be as loud as you can be and it fires the team up. I think we showed them that there is no quit. We are struggling at times but tonight was a good two points but tomorrow’s a new day. “
Canadiens forward Tomas Plekanec:
On losing after having the lead in the third period: “They scored two seconds before the end of the game, and we were up by two goals, so it’s frustrating.”
On the team struggling after a good start to the season: “I thought we played well. I thought we came out the first 10 games and we had some good games there, and that’s where we keep going, you know? Keep improving on the things that we need to improve and keep going forward, keep playing.”
On his concerns with the team over their last two games: “We had the lead and we were holding on to it until the end. We have to somehow find a way to win those tied games in the end and look to make plays.”
Canadiens forward Ryan White:
On surrendering the lead late and losing in a shootout: “That’s a tough one. Same situation again, obviously, and a good team. I don’t even know what to say about it.”
On his incident with Steve Ott in the third period: “Obviously it was just a selfish play. I thought he went kind of low on me and that’s what he does. He’s a good player at that, he’s smart at what he does out there and, you know, I just kind of reacted the wrong way again obviously and cost my team another two points.”
On whether other teams are purposely trying to get him to take penalties late in games: “Sure. I’d be doing it too. Obviously, I took another bad one tonight and, like I said, I don’t even know what to say about it. It’s a tough one.”
Canadiens forward Rene Bourque:
On giving up the lead after having the Sabres down two goals: “Yeah, you know that’s two games in a row where we give up a lead. Early in the third period when Plekanec gets that goal right off the bat, but we got in penalty trouble and were kind of hanging on. We had a few chances to put it away and we didn’t, and they got that big goal at the end.”
On how exhausting the beginning of the second period was: “We got in a rut there where we kept getting called on and its tough on our killers, you know? Those are hard minutes those penalty killers play, a lot of stopping and starting. Even on Budaj there, so we have to be more disciplined. That’s a few games in a row we got in trouble like that.”
