BUFFALO – After the Vancouver Canucks capitalized on Dylan Cozens’ penalty early in Friday afternoon’s third period, Sabres coach Lindy Ruff knew his center would take ownership for his actions.
Cozens is notoriously hard on himself, and sometimes his intensity gets the best of him.
The Canucks grabbed the lead during the first of Cozens’ two penalties. He also earned an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty by letting an official know just how much disliked his holding call.
Conor Garland scored at 5:15, putting the Canucks up 2-1 in a game they would win 4-3 in overtime.
So after the Sabres killed the second penalty, Ruff, who wanted to see more self-restraint, said he and Cozens discussed things.
“He knows how I feel, and he knows he can’t do it,” he said. “He’d be the first guy to take ownership. I did say, ‘The only way you can make amends is get one back.’”
After Pius Suter’s breakaway goal put the Canucks up 3-1 at 9:00, Cozens redeemed himself, beating goalie Kevin Lankinen from the right circle at 13:18.
“I wanted to get that one back for the boys,” he said. “It’s just a dumb second penalty by me and I was (ticked) off. I just wanted to do what I could to help the team.”
Cozens’ goal ignited his team and the crowd of 18,059 fans in KeyBank Center. The Sabres tied the contest at 14:57 when winger Zach Benson’s shot deflected off Cozens and winger Alex Tuch in front of the net and past Lankinen.
Cozens was originally awarded the goal before Tuch received credit.
Garland’s second goal 3:59 into overtime – seconds earlier, Lankinen stymied center Tage Thompson’s backhand attempt in front – couldn’t spoil the Sabres’ exciting comeback.
Every point, after all, is precious. Ruff loved the battle the Sabres displayed to roar back and earn their 24th this season.
“It’s a heck of a point,” said Ruff, whose Sabres play a road game tonight against the New York Islanders.
Cozens said “desperation” helped the Sabres erase a two-goal deficit in just 1:39.
“We don’t have any quit, we’re going to battle until the last buzzer and we’re going to keep fighting until the game’s over,” said Cozens, who has scored two goals in the last three games.
Benson said the Sabres “played more direct” late. They pumped 18 of their 34 shots on goal in the third period.
“You’re down 3-1, you want to get pucks funneled to the net,” he said. “I thought last 10 minutes we had way more bodies at the net and creating so much havoc. It was only about time one went in, and once you get one, floodgates can kind of open from there.”
Benson served as the Sabres’ catalyst all afternoon, zooming around the ice and having a hand in all three goals.
“He’s a guy that his desire to do the right thing at the right time is probably second to none on the team,” Ruff said.
Benson set up Bowen Byram’s early redirection goal by holding the puck in the right circle as the defenseman drove to the net.
“It was one of those things where he kicks it, makes a hell of a drive and takes two guys with him,” Benson said. “I was in the position where I was like, gonna shoot, gonna shoot. Then last second I wanted to sauce it, and it kind of came off my stick funny but landed in a perfect area.”
Benson was battling a defender in the crease when Cozens scored. On Tuch’s goal, the youngster smartly lofted a shot from the left point into the chaos at the net.
“Kind of just one of those things you float it there, see if something good can happen,” Benson said.
If Thompson keeps shooting, good things will happen for the Sabres. In his two outings following his return from a lower-body injury, he has pumped shots 12 total shots on goal (six each game) and attempted 20 shots.
“I thought he could’ve had two or three tonight, where he was shooting from,” Ruff said. “Coming back off injury, sometimes it takes a game or two. Obviously, we need our best guys to get on the score sheet, or you end up in games like this.”
After making 18 saves Friday, Sabres goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen will likely be rested tonight and back up James Reimer.
