The Los Angeles Kings and Sabres each notched one-goal wins ahead of the finale of their season series in Buffalo on Sunday afternoon.
And the Sabres might have found their centerpiece who is willing to call western New York home for a long time — winger Alex Tuch.
Former Buffalo superstars Ryan O’Reilly, Taylor Hall and Jack Eichel all either lost interest in the city or the organization or grew tired of the futile seasons and eventually moved on — some voicing their displeasure emphatically.
Seemingly the Sabres’ future core piece, Eichel was named the club’s captain in 2018 but grew sullen and disinterested. The organization stripped the center of his captaincy after he failed a physical as this season’s training camp opened.
A Nov. 4 trade of Eichel to Vegas returned a package including Tuch, 25, and the Sabres are glad to have the Syracuse native back in the Empire State.
“He brings a lot of different things. The biggest unique thing is that he’s from upstate New York and he grew up a Sabres fan,” Buffalo coach Don Granato said.
A 2014 first-round pick (18th overall) by Minnesota, Tuch has produced 23 points (seven goals, 16 assists) in 24 games since the transaction that sent him home.
“He has that passion,” the coach added. “When he puts that jersey on and goes out there, there’s a lot of meaning to him. And that’s nice to have in your locker room, especially with a guy who other players look up to and admire.”
Buffalo opened its five-game homestand Friday by holding on to defeat the Minnesota Wild for the second time this season, 5-4.
Victor Olofsson’s empty-net goal with 1:06 remaining was the game-winner after Minnesota’s Kirill Kaprizov tallied with 34 seconds left.
In their first meeting with Buffalo, the Kings won 3-2 in Los Angeles on Oct. 31.
Trailing 2-0 in the second period, the Kings got goals from Carl Grundstrom and Anze Kopitar before Alex Iafallo chipped in the game-winning goal from the low slot with 6:19 left in the third. Jonathan Quick posted 22 saves to record his first win of the season.
The Kings were back at it in another close match Friday in Columbus — winning 4-3 in overtime over the Blue Jackets and requiring another rally, this one settled by Viktor Arvidsson’s fourth career hat trick.
Having lost their previous two outings, the Kings found themselves down 3-1 until early in the third period. But Dustin Brown and Arvidsson brought them back.
Arvidsson, who tied the game at 3 with 3:46 to go in regulation, forced a turnover in the defensive end. Then he streaked down the ice, took a pass from Phillip Danault and won it with a backhander with one minute left in overtime.
“I kind of knew because I was fresh, I came off the bench and they had been out there for a while, so I was confident that I would beat him,” Arvidsson said. “It was a good pass by Phil.”
Added Arvidsson, “We have character in the room and people who want to win and know what it takes to win.”
Arvidsson’s hat trick Friday, along with Jason Robertson’s in Dallas’ 4-3 win against Winnipeg, marked the first time in NHL regular-season history two players had completed a three-goal showing with overtime game-winners.
Head coach Todd McLellan (COVID-19 protocol) has missed the Kings’ past five games.
–Field Level Media