Match date: 5 November 2026.
Final score: Sabres 1, Senators 2.
The Senators overturned a one-goal deficit in the third period to beat the Sabres 2-1 on 5 November, with M. Amadio’s goal at 16:51 completing a composed late reversal. The Sabres had protected P. Krebs’ second-period opener deep into the night, but the visitors found the two goals that mattered.
Game Story
There was no scoring in the opening period, and the Sabres eventually broke the deadlock at 14:00 of the second. P. Krebs finished the play for a 1-0 lead, assisted by T. Thompson and Z. Benson.
That advantage carried through the remainder of the second period and into the third, while C. Ellis kept the Sabres in front with a busy 28-save performance. The Senators had 30 shots overall, but remained behind until the game’s final nine minutes.
S. Pinto brought them level at 11:33 of the third, with P. Tomasino and T. Chabot providing the assists. The equaliser changed the shape of a low-scoring contest that had long appeared to be leaning Buffalo’s way.
The decisive strike arrived with 3:09 remaining. M. Amadio scored at 16:51, assisted by T. Stützle and F. Zetterlund, to put the Senators ahead for the first time. S. Ersson then closed out the result with 23 saves from 24 shots.
Turning Point
S. Pinto’s equaliser at 11:33 of the third was the clear swing. The Sabres had led since P. Krebs scored in the second period, but the Senators finally turned their shot advantage into a goal and then had time to press on for M. Amadio’s winner.
Standout Performers
M. Amadio supplied the winning goal with 3:09 left, turning a tied game into a Senators victory. S. Pinto’s third-period equaliser was equally important, while S. Ersson stopped 23 of 24 shots to protect the narrow margin. For the Sabres, C. Ellis made 28 saves on 30 shots in defeat, and P. Krebs accounted for their only goal.
Tactical Observations
This was a restrained game on the scoresheet, with all three goals arriving after the first period. The Sabres established the lead and held it through two intermissions, but the Senators kept creating enough volume to finish with a 30-24 edge in shots. Their two third-period goals came 5:18 apart, turning a game of patient protection for the Sabres into a late chase. Neither side scored during the recorded penalty sequences, leaving the even-strength scoring swings as the defining feature.
Coach Mark Comment
C. Ellis made 28 saves, which is enough work to give any team a real chance to win a one-goal game. Yet a goalie can carry that load for nearly 59 minutes and still find the night altered by two finishes in a little over five minutes. That is the hard edge of a tight result: the Sabres had something solid to protect after P. Krebs’ goal, then S. Pinto and M. Amadio gave the Senators two moments that changed the entire value of Ellis’s work.
What It Means
The Senators leave with a regulation win built on a third-period comeback after trailing 1-0 through two periods. For the Sabres, a strong performance from C. Ellis and a second-period lead did not translate into the final result.
What Comes Next
The Senators will look to carry the value of that late-game turnaround into their next outing. The Sabres are left with a direct hockey question: how do they turn a defended lead and solid goaltending into the extra goal or two that removes the pressure of a one-score finish?