Senators 1, Sabres 0
BUFFALO, N.Y. -- Erik Karlsson ended a scoreless deadlock with 1:35 remaining to lead the Ottawa Senators to a 1-0 win over the Buffalo Sabres on Friday night.
Karlsson put a one-timer past Sabres goalie Ryan Miller after receiving a pretty cross ice pass from Clarke MacArthur.
Karlsson gave Ottawa the victory, but it was the goalies who stole the show. Miller and Craig Anderson put on a goaltending clinic between the pipes at the First Niagara Center, stopping a combined 79 shots before Karlsson found the back of the net.
Miller finished with 45 saves, while his counterpart Anderson finished with 35 saves for his first shutout of the year.
There was no shortage of opportunities in a fast-paced, free-flowing game that hardly represented the final score. The goaltenders were at their finest in the final two periods with highlight-reel saves coming on both ends of the ice.
Miller stepped up to thwart Patrick Wiercioch with just under seven minutes remaining, and Anderson came back moments later by blocking a blistering slap shot from Thomas Vanek from point-blank range. Anderson also extended his arm to snare a Zemgus Girgensons lazer with 2:07 remaining.
Miller ended the second period with his finest save of the game. Miller robbed Jason Spezza, who unleashed a one-timer while wide open in the slot, with a quick glove save. Miller also had back-to-back saves on Spezza from up close with seven minutes remaining in the second.
Miller also came up big on a partial breakaway with two minutes remaining in the second when he held up strong against former teammate Clark MacArthur, who was denied on his backhand attempt.
Anderson was also at his best. His most impressive stop came on Vanek with 2:28 left in the second, when Anderson slid from left to right before Vanek's shot hit him in the chest.
Vanek also had a golden opportunity three minutes into the third period on a partial breakaway, but the play was neatly broken up by a diving Erik Karlsson.
Both teams came flying out of the gates in a quick and entertaining start. The teams combined for 39 shots on goal in the first period, though neither was able to find the back of the net due to strong goaltending. That total is the most by two teams in a scoreless NHL period since the expansion era (1967), according to the Elias Sports Bureau.
Ottawa outshot Buffalo 23-16 through the first 20 minutes.
NOTES: For the second game in a row, the Sabres dressed teenagers Zemgus Girgensons, Mikhail Grigorenko and Rasmus Ristolainen. It's the first season since 1995-96 the Sabres have dressed three teenagers during the course of a season. ... Sabres forward Ville Leino missed the game and is out indefinitely after suffering a broken rib in the team's season opener against Detroit. ... Defensemen Jamie McBain and Cody McCormick were also scratched for the Sabres. ... Winger Matt Kassian and defenseman Joe Corvo were scratched for the Senators. ... The Senators won the season series against the Sabres last year 3-1. Ottawa won the first three games against Buffalo, before the Sabres won the final meeting 4-2 on April 5.
