Zach Benson scored his first in 35 games to lead the Buffalo Sabers to a 3-2 win over the Vancouver Canucks on Thursday evening at Rogers Arena. The Sabers were outshot 32-15 in the game, but a two-goal second period was enough to give them a 3-2 lead, and ultimately the victory after surviving a third period in which they were outshot 12-2. The Sabers have now won two in a row and have improved to 13-14-4 on the season. The Canucks, meanwhile, continue their win-one, loss-two streak, falling to 11-17-3.
Kiefer Sherwood and Max Sasson scored for the Canucks. Thatcher Demko returned to the lineup and made 12 saves.
Rasmus Dahlin, Tage Thompson and Benson scored for the Sabres. Alex Lyon made 30 saves.
Summary of the game
The Sabers opened the scoring early in the first period with Dahlin’s third of the season. The Sabers captain skated downhill from the blue line and fired the ball home from the left hash marks, scoring his fifth goal and 15th point against the Canucks in his career. The score remained 1-0 until late in the period, when Sherwood drove home his team-leading 13th off Conor Timmins into the net with 10.3 seconds left. The score was 1-1 at the end of the first inning, with the Canucks leading 12-6 on the shot clock.
There were three goals in the second period, two from the Sabers and one from the Canucks. First, Sasson gave the Canucks the lead with his sixth of the season, breaking down the left wing with his trademark speed and hitting a five-hole shot over Lyon. Then the Sabers responded with consecutive goals from Thompson and Benson to regain the lead, 3-2; Thompson shot his team-leading 15 from the slot at 9:12, and Benson snapped his 35-game scoring drought at 2:46, making his first of the season from the bumper on the power play. The Canucks again defeated the Sabers in the period 8-6, but this time ended it 3-2.
The third period had plenty of scoring opportunities and close calls – especially from the Canucks – but no goals. Thanks to a handful of blocked shots in the final minute and a post from Filip Hronek, Lyon and the Vancouver Sabers escaped with a 3-2 victory.
What’s next
The Canucks begin a five-game eastern road trip that begins Sunday with the Hughes Bowl (minus Jack) against the New Jersey Devils. The Sabers are also in action on Sunday as they head to Seattle to face the Kraken.
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