The Calgary Flames lost to the Buffalo Sabres by a 4-3 score in overtime on Wednesday night. Here are selected reactions from players and coaches following the game.

The National Hockey League season is 82 games long. In a perfect world, teams would be like great artists, painting 82 masterpieces. But we don’t live in a perfect world and teams are full of inperfect humans. There will be games where the team appears to be fighting it, and the masterpiece is more resemblant of finger-painting.

Following the game, Flames head coach Bill Peters focused on the positives of his team’s game – their strong special teams play and ability to battle back after giving up the lead – but he did acknowledge that the team had some work to do on their game.

“We turned it over a little more than we would’ve liked, for sure, and they got behind us a couple times but there were a lot of good things,” said Peters, before expanding on what led to the turnovers. “I think we held onto it a little bit too long at times when there was not a play to be made we were trying to force the play instead of just taking what was given.”

Flames captain Mark Giordano was similarly disposed, though perhaps slightly more down on his team’s game than his head coach.

“We had our looks, but we know we can be better,” said Giordano. “I think we can clean up a few areas. We gave them a few breakaways tonight that we don’t usually do.”

The Sabres were particularly effective at their counter-punch game, waiting for the Flames to give up the puck and then attacking with numbers.

“They were sitting back in the neutral,” said Giordano. “Playing really four men back the whole night and then as soon as anything was turned over or any shot missed the net or anything they were taking off.”

Despite the uneven game, the Flames’ offensive leaders kept chugging along.

Depth scoring might be a minor concern, but their offensive engine continues to chug along.