I've been telling you for weeks that the best, most consistent aspect to the struggling Buffalo Sabres is their superior goaltending.
Robin Lehner and Anders Nilsson have been saving the bacon of the ice cold offensive players at a time when the Sabres can't buy more than one goal in a game.
On Saturday night, Anders Nilsson saved his best performance of the season for the Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh Penguins. Nilsson made 46 saves in a heroic performance. Nilsson silenced the Pens and in so doing snapped Buffalo's six game losing streak.
In the first period, rookie Will Carrier scored his first goal of his NHL career for the Sabres.
The Sabres cradled their one goal lead until Cody Franson took a dumb interference penalty against Connor Sheary. Sidney Crosby popped a power play goal to tie the game. The goals was the 350th of Crosby's story book career. Crocy now has 29 points in 32 career games against the Sabres.
Cal O'Reilly, called up from AHL Rochester Saturday morning, ripped a wrister past Marc Andre Fleury to give Buffalo the 2-1 shootout win.
Nilsson stopped Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, and Kris Letang. What a gutsy performance from the large Swede.
In his last three starts, Nilsson has a 2-0-1 record and has a .976 save percentage and 0.97 GAA.
The Sabres (6-8-4) host Calgary on Monday night.
On the 45 year anniversary of Harry Nilsson's legendary "Nilsson Schmilsson" LP, Anders jumped into the fire and came out of it unscathed.
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