The Nashville Predators' comeback effort came a little too late in Tuesday's game, falling in a 4-0 hole early and unable to fully recover in their 5-3 loss to the Buffalo Sabres at home. 

It's the Predators' second straight loss, the first time they've lost back-to-back games since Nov. 24. 

The Sabres scored four unanswered goals, three of which came in the first 20 minutes of the game. Ryan O'Reilly scored twice and Filip Forsberg once to cut the Buffalo lead down to a goal. 

Peyton Krebs added an empty net goal in the third period to ice the game. 

Juuse Saros was pulled in the second period for Justus Annunen after allowing four goals on 18 shots. Annunen made 13 saves on 13 shots. 

Here are three takeaways from the Predators' loss to the Sabres. 

"We didn't want to work." 

In the previous three games, the Predators have been the first to strike. Even in the loss to the Vegas Golden Knights, Nashville had a 1-0 lead to open up the game. 

In Tuesday's matchup, the Sabres poured it on, seeing Noah Ostlund score twice and rookie Konsta Helenius score his first NHL goal and log two assists. By the end of 20 minutes, Buffalo had a 3-0 lead. 

"We just didn't want to work. It's pretty simple," Filip Forsberg said. "They're a skilled team, they're a fast team. 
We gave them exactly that, and they hurt us. Sometimes it's just as simple as that."

Predators head coach Andrew Brunette wasn't taking any moral victories, specifically in Nashville's comeback effort, saying the game was "lost in the first period." 

 "I thought they out-worked us and out-competed us," Brunette said. "They wanted it more than we did in the first period, and it was pretty evident for everybody who was watching the game. We were lucky it was only 3-0...

"At this time of year, when we know these points are so valuable, you can't take any solace in saying you played a good second half of the game. The game was lost in the first period." 

"It's not fair for Little Juice." 

Brunette said he wanted his team to get mad after Saros was pulled at the beginning of the second period after letting in the Sabres' fourth goal of the night.

Even if it "wasn't fair" for Saros to see his night end early, Brunette needed a response from his team. Tuesday was the second straight game that the Predators have pulled their goalie for the backup. 

"I hope they get mad," Brunette said. "They should be upset that they let their goalies for two games in a row, kind of get barraged when they've (the goalies) kind of hung in there with us in a lot of these different games through this stretch. 

"It's over. 
You're disappointed, you're upset. Hopefully we learn a lesson."

Nashville did respond in the second period, seeing O'Reilly and Forsberg score to cut Buffalo's lead in half. After the game, Forsberg expressed that Saros should've been pulled "a little bit before" when he was originally called off. 

"It's certainly not Juice's (Saros') fault, but we've definitely got to be better," Forsberg said. 

Forcing a comeback 

The one positive to take away from the night was that the Predators gave themselves a chance late. 

O'Reilly's second goal of the night in the third period cut Buffalo's lead down to one and suddenly swung the momentum in favor of the Predators. He had three points on the night and now has nine points in five games.

It mirrored what the Predators had been doing from late November to early January: going down early and clawing their way back. 

"We had the momentum and control of the game, but just the whole we dug was too deep," O'Reilly said. "We're gonna have times where we lose momentum, and things don't go our way, but to do it for a full period that's not us. 
You can't be doing that. It's too tough." 

This is a different Predators team compared to the one a month ago, as they want to be in the driver's seat and not have to come back to win. Especially now when Nashville is battling for the final Wild Card spot in the Western Conference.

The loss puts Nashville three points outside the Wild Card spot in an extremely tight race. 

"You learn from it, move on," Brunette said. "Obviously, we're disappointed. There's no consolation, but you saw the team we can be when we get going."

Up next: Ottawa Senators (23-19-7, 8th Atlantic) at Nashville Predators (23-22-4, 5th Central) on Thursday, Jan. 22 at 7 p.m. CST at Bridgestone Arena.