Buffalo Sabres
Buffalo Sabres Rasmus Ristolainen Picks Perfect Time To Score First Goal Of Season
Buffalo Sabres

Buffalo Sabres Rasmus Ristolainen Picks Perfect Time To Score First Goal Of Season

Published Jun. 30, 2017 6:28 p.m. ET

The Buffalo Sabres won a game they probably should have lost, courtesy of a guy who had not scored all season!

The Buffalo Sabres did their best to lose against the Edmonton Oilers Tuesday evening.

Oh sure, Buffalo thoroughly outplayed the visitors for thes  first 20 minutes, taking 10 shots on goals to Edmonton’s 5 and boasting a 2-0 lead heading into the first intermission.

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As they are wont to do, though, the Sabres took the ice in the second period and decided to abandon what had worked well for them and allow their opponent to seize control of the game.  Edmonton proceeded to outshoot Buffalo by a 32-14 margin in the second and third periods and took a 3-2 lead at the 9:59 mark of the third period.

Typical Buffalo Sabres game, right?  Yes, it was . . . until Ryan O’Reilly blasted a shot off the right post that led to Evander Kane’s second goal of the night to tie the game at 3-3 with 29 seconds left in regulation.

Then, Adam Larsson inexplicably committed a holding penalty with only 18 seconds remaining in the third, allowing the Sabres to open overtime with a power play. That’s when Rasmus Ristolainen decided he was sick of that monkey on his back.

Cue the video!

I sure wish it hadn’t taken Risto this long to score his first of the season, but give the man credit: he has a flair for the dramatic!  Everything about that goal was perfect: the Sabres’ patience, the laser from Risto, and that clank – sweet sweet music!

It’s not like Risto was having a bad night before he blasted the game-winner; he already had two assists on the evening, bringing his season total up to 15, 4th-best among all NHL defensemen and 16th-most in the league.  Still, it’s so nice to see him get one in the goal column.  He might have trouble getting to sleep tonight due to his excitement, but once he does, I doubt anyone will sleep more soundly than he does.

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The Buffalo Sabres clawed their way back to a .500 points percentage with that win, owning 26 points after 26 games played.  With Kane and Risto flashing scorers’ touches tonight, maybe things are looking up in the 716 a bit.   Next up: the Washington Capitals, on Friday!

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