They don’t ask how, they ask how many.
The Buffalo Sabres started slow but built a 5-1 lead against the struggling Arizona Coyotes.
In the end, the Sabres relied on their offense to win the game 5-4.
The newly constructed trio of Benoit Pouliot (2 goals, 1 assist), Ryan O'Reilly (3 assists) and Kyle Okposo (1 goal, 1 assist) combined for 8 points in the win.
Phil Housley and Davis Payne have hit the jackpot by playing Pouliot with O’Reilly and Okposo. The “POO Fighters… lines has been making great music while playing together the past two weeks. Pouliot has scored 4 goals and 1 assist in his past five games. O'Reilly has scored 2 goals and 4 assists in his last five games. Okposo now has a goals and 2 assists in his last five games.
O’Reilly now has 16 points (5G, 8A) in his last 14 games against the Coyotes.
Seth Griffith and Evander Kane also scored goals for the Sabres.
Kane’s goal was his NHL-leading third shorthanded goal and his team leading seventh goal of the season.
Playing Pouliot, O'Reilly and Okposo has created secondary scoring which the Sabres have desperately needed in recent games. The 67-90-21 line got the party stated against the Desert Dogs when losing 1-0 in the first period, Pouliot assisted on Okposo’s first goal in his last 13 games dating back to last season. The Okposo one-timer tied the score with .09 seconds remaining on the period clock.
Talk about clutch goals that swing momentum. Okposo’s goal was the cup of coffee that was badly needed to wake up his game.
Kane’s shorty made the score 4-1 Sabres. Jack Eichel and Kane struck fear in Antii Raanat’s Heart with this gorgeous conversion off the 2-On-0 breakaway.
Robin Lehner made 25 saves on 29 shotsfaced.
Next stop: Dallas, Texas.
The Sabres will have a fight in their hands. The surly Stars lost 5-2 in Winnipeg Thursday night.