Buffalo Dominates Kraken with 6-2 Win, Skinner Nets Hat Trick

Tuesday, March 19th, 2024

Jeff Skinner led the Buffalo Sabres to a 6-2 victory over the Seattle Kraken with a hat trick, contributing to a quick and decisive three-goal lead in the initial six minutes of the game on Monday night.

Alongside Skinner, Tage Thompson and Alex Tuch netted goals in the early stages, marking the Sabres' inaugural win against the Kraken after five attempts. This victory places Buffalo four points behind Washington for the coveted final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference, with 13 games left in play.

Buffalo's scoring spree continued with Owen Power finding the net, while goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen made an impressive 32 saves. Luukkonen's performance has been consistent, with him allowing three or fewer goals in nearly all of his last 27 appearances.

Despite Jordan Eberle scoring the opening goal for the Kraken just 24 seconds into the game, the Sabres' rapid response led to an early exit for Kraken goaltender Joey Daccord. Matty Beniers managed to score during a power play towards the end of the first period, but it wasn't enough to prevent the Kraken's fifth consecutive loss, notably all occurring on their home ice.

After Daccord's departure, Phillip Grubauer took over the net, saving 23 shots. However, Seattle still finds itself 11 points shy of a playoff position in the Western Conference, with 15 games remaining.

Up next, the Sabres are set to face the Vancouver Canucks on Tuesday night, while the Kraken will head to meet the Vegas Golden Knights on Thursday night.

Seattle Kraken vs Buffalo Sabres Game Stats

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