BUFFALO, N.Y. -- The Sabres welcomed a new owner. The Thrashers are still searching.
What a tale of two cities.
Buffalo started its new era by adding to the misery of Atlanta’s current one, courtesy of a 4-1 victory on Wednesday night at HSBC Arena.
Buffalo got second-period goals from Paul Gaustad and Jason Pominville 30 seconds apart and handed the Thrashers their fourth consecutive loss. It was yet another blow to the team’s rapidly fading playoff hopes.
The Thrashers (25-26-10, 60 points) have won six times in the past 26 games. They are now two points behind the Sabres (28-25-6, 62 points) and in 10th place in the Eastern Conference. Only three of the Thrashers’ wins in the 6-15-5 stretch have come in regulation. With 21 games remaining, the team is in trouble after a promising start.
“You need big efforts from everyone in the room,” Thrashers captain Andrew Ladd said. “It seems like we have some guys going and some guys not. This time of year we have to have everyone on the same page.”
On the night the Sabres welcomed Terry Pegula as their owner in front of a sellout crowd of 18,690, the Thrashers were haunted by an alarming statistic. The goals by Gaustad and Pominville, which started with 1:08 left in the second period, marked the 21st time this season the Thrashers have allowed back-to-back goals in less than two minutes. It gets worse. It was the sixth time this season, including each of the past two games, that the Thrashers have allowed consecutive goals in 39 seconds or less.
“We got 40 shots on the road and won the special teams, and we found a way to lose,” Thrashers coach Craig Ramsay said. “It seemed like the kind of effort that wins hockey games. We have five straight [games] at home now. The last time we had six games at home we came out with five wins. We need five wins.
“I’m worried that it’s becoming more difficult. … It’s not the end of the world. It’s disappointing. They just have to trust. I do. I believe.”
The Thrashers begin a five-game homestand on Friday against Florida.
Ladd tied the game at 1-1 early in the second period, converting on a power play. Just 13 seconds after the Sabres’ Shaone Morrisonn went off for interference, Ladd flipped a rebound past goaltender Ryan Miller at the 4:31 mark. Ladd extended his goal streak to four games with his fifth goal during the span, and increased his team lead to 22.
The Thrashers kept the momentum until the closing minute of the period. And then they lost the game.
Gaustad banged in his own rebound, beating Ondrej Pavelec, with 1:08 left in the period. That was quickly followed by Pominville, who converted on a scrum in front of the goaltender with 38 seconds left.
Tyler Ennis scored just 1:54 into the final period to ice it for the Sabres.
The Sabres scored first, cashing in on another Thrashers neutral-zone turnover. Defenseman Tyler Myers stepped in front of a Tobias Enstrom pass intended for Evander Kane at the blue line. Myers skated into the Thrashers' zone and blistered a shot that beat Pavelec 7:13 into the opening period. The goal came on the Sabres’ third shot.
Ramsay was wary of the potential pitfall. The arena -- and the city -- was filled with the new hope brought by Pegula. The former season-ticket holder promised to spare no expense in bringing a Stanley Cup to Buffalo. He got off to a good start.
“Big night for Buffalo, but we were skating,” Ramsay said. “We were doing the things we felt we really need to do or they were going to have a big night because they were pumped up. Again, we had those two goals scored so fast. Someone needs to get the puck and keep it.”
The Thrashers pushed much of the action until that dreaded final minute of the second period.
“It’s something we are going to have to tighten up as a group,” Dustin Byfuglien said. “We have to stick with it. We can’t quit. It’s not going to be easy, but if we stick as a team, we can fight through it.”
An uphill battle to make the playoffs just got a little steeper.
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