Filip Gustavsson made 39 saves to help the Minnesota Wild beat the Buffalo Sabres 1-0 on Wednesday and continue their excellent play on the road.
Two days after getting just one goal despite taking a season-high 44 shots in a loss to the Winnipeg Jets, the Wild matched that scoring output while putting 29 on net. Gustavsson also got some help from his teammates, who blocked 32 shots.
In doing so, they ended Buffalo’s three-game winning streak and became the first NHL team this season to record its 10th road win.
Minnesota scored first less than seven minutes into the game. Brock Faber’s takeaway near the Wild net created a four-on-one breakaway that ended with Kirill Kaprizov’s goal. The Russian set up his 14th of the season after a give-and-go with Joel Eriksson Ek. Matt Boldy also picked up an assist.
Kaprizov, who did not record a point in their loss Monday, has now recorded at least one in 17 games of the 21 he’s played this season and in 12 of the 13 road games. He’s been held pointless in consecutive games only once this season.
The counterattack was one of the few chances the Wild had during the first period, as the Sabres outshot their guests 16-4.
Minnesota put more shots on Ukko-PekkaLuukkonen, who finished with 28 saves, in the remaining periods, but the fifth-year veteran kept the Sabres in the game by denying the Wild on quality chances. That included a pair of shots three seconds apart midway through the third period. After making the save on Jon Merrill’s shot, Luukkonen recovered to keep Devin Shore from extending the Wild’s lead.
Tage Thompson returned to the Sabres on Wednesday. Buffalo’s leading goal scorer sat out five games with a lower-body injury. He had a chance to tie the score with 50 seconds left when he had the puck at the top of the slot and no one around him. However, his shot went right to Gustavsson.
–Field Level Media
