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Already eliminated from playoff contention, the Buffalo Sabres will wrap up their season on Monday night when they take on the host Tampa Bay Lightning.
Even though it has been a disappointing campaign for Buffalo (38-37-6, 82 points), the Sabres have fared well against Tampa Bay, winning two of the three meetings between the teams this season.
Both of Buffalo’s victories came in overtime, with Dylan Cozens providing the game-winner on Oct. 17 and Rasmus Dahlin coming through in the clutch on Feb. 29.
In between those wins, the Lightning (44-28-8, 96 points) downed the Sabres 3-1 on Jan. 20. Tampa Bay’s Nicholas Paul and Tyler Motte scored 52 seconds apart during the first period to provide all the offense the Lightning would need to salvage at least one victory in the season series
Buffalo is closing its season with a two-game road trip in Florida, most recently falling 3-2 in overtime to the Panthers on Saturday. Goaltender Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen was sharp, stopping 39 shots, but he let Sam Reinhart beat him in the extra period. It was the Sabres’ third loss in four games.
You could tell our guys weren’t as sharp,” Buffalo coach Don Granato said. “As a consequence, they weren’t as sharp with the puck and they had to defend a little bit more, but they defended hard. And that’s the key. The moments we needed to defend, they defended hard