Whalers Weather the Storm, Sabres' Comeback Falls Just Short!

[HartfordWhalers]

It was a night of highs, lows, and some well-timed duct tape for the Whalers, who managed to keep their ship afloat just long enough to escape Buffalo with a 4-3 victory. The game had everything: lightning-fast goals, penalty box overcrowding, and a furious Sabres comeback attempt that almost rewrote the script.

The Whalers wasted no time setting the tone, scoring just 14 seconds in thanks to Artturi Lehkonen, who clearly had somewhere else to be after the game. The Sabres responded with Jakob Silfverberg knotting things up in the first period, but after that, they spent most of the night playing catch-up.

The second period? Let’s just say the scoreboard operator got the easiest paycheck of his career—zero goals, but plenty of penalty box visits. The Whalers, possibly mistaking the rink for a demolition derby, racked up four infractions, including Anthony Cirelli’s game misconduct, proving once again that he never met a cross-check he didn’t like.

Things ramped up in the third when the Whalers rattled off three straight goals in quick succession—Tage Thompson, Alex Pietrangelo, and Mikael Backlund all getting in on the action. But just as the Whalers thought they could kick back, sip some Gatorade, and coast to victory, Ivan Barbashev decided Buffalo wasn’t done yet. He netted two power-play goals to bring the Sabres within one, sending everyone into panic mode.

Despite the late drama, Jacob Markstrom stood his ground, making 15 saves and ensuring the Whalers would sail off into the sunset with the win. The Sabres, meanwhile, were left wondering what could’ve been—if only the comeback had started just a bit earlier. Or if the Whalers had spent more time in the box.