Cozens Bails Himself Out; Sabres Earn Point Against Canucks

Dylan Cozens almost cost the Buffalo Sabres the game, before getting them back in contention late in the 4-3 overtime loss to the Vancouver Canucks. Cozens’ holding penalty 4:23 into the third period in a 1-1 game turned into a double minor after he argued the call extensively. The Canucks scored the go-ahead goal on the ensuing powerplay and the Sabres quickly found themselves down two less than four minutes later.

Cozens was noticeably pushing play following his departure from the box. With 6:42 remaining in the third, he put the Sabres within a goal on his shot from the faceoff dot. He then deflected Zach Benson’s shot, which Alex Tuch touched last for the game-tying goal a minute and a half later.

The goals erased the third-period markers by Conor Garland and Pius Suter. Bowen Byram and Jake DeBrusk also contributed goals for their respective teams in previous periods. Garland’s overtime finish put an abrupt end to Buffalo’s full comeback hopes.

Dylan Cozens

Cozens’ third-period double-minor did not sit well with head coach Lindy Ruff.

“We discussed it on the bench,” Ruff said. “He knows how I feel and he knows he can’t do it.”

The conversation seemed to light a fire under Dylan Cozens, whose performance versus the Canucks was one of the Sabres’ best. Cozens cashed in a two-point, +3 game for Buffalo.

“I did say the only way you can make amends is to get one back,” Ruff said about the positive side of his center’s game.

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Timely Penalties Still an Issue

Ruff alluded to the Cozens incident as a microcosm of one of Buffalo’s biggest issues. The costly penalties in close games have come from various players, not just him.

“We need to grow as a team,” Ruff remarked. “I’ve said this, you’ve got to be comfortable being uncomfortable. And sometimes you don’t like the call. You’ve got to keep your composure.”

There’s no telling if the result would’ve been different had Cozens not accumulated the second penalty. The Canucks did score on the initial minor, but the momentum and energy of the team was affected. It also kept players like Tage Thompson off the ice and added two minutes of an unadvantageous situation.

Signs of Resiliency

The Sabres have come back now a few times over the last five games to erase late two-goal leads. In California, Buffalo defeated the Anaheim Ducks and San Jose Sharks on back-to-back nights despite being down a goal late into the game.

The Sabres scored twice in the late stages of the second period to stun the Ducks and win in overtime. They took until the third period to tie the game against the Sharks, before rattling off two more goals for the victory. Today, the Canucks had the Sabres down two with 6:42 remaining in regulation before forcing overtime.

If you remember Lindy Ruff’s Sabres of the mid-2000s, they had a knack for comebacks. This is a much different team, no doubt, but the feeling that they’re never out of it is starting to creep in.

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What’s Next

The Buffalo Sabres are packed and headed to Long Island to face the New York Islanders tomorrow at 7:30 pm ET. The Islanders are 8-10-6 on the season, sitting two points behind the Sabres in the standings with an extra game played. New York is struggling as of late, going 2-4-4 over their last 10 games.