Sabres - The Buffalo News
National Hockey League
Buffalo 6, Arizona 3
When: 7:00 PM ET, Thursday, March 2, 2017
Where: KeyBank Center, Buffalo, New York
Referees: Tom Kowal, Graham Skilliter
Linesmen: Scott Cherrey, Greg Devorski
Attendance: 18116

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- Evander Kane scored the tiebreaking goal with 5:36 remaining to lead the Buffalo Sabres to a 6-3 win over the Arizona Coyotes on Thursday night.

Marcus Foligno (two goals), Ryan O'Reilly, Jack Eichel and Sam Reinhart also scored for Buffalo (27-26-11). Robin Lehner made 19 saves.

Teemu Pulkkinen, Tobias Rieder and Alex Goligoski scored for Arizona (22-34-7). Mike Smith stopped 35 shots.

Buffalo outshot Arizona 41-22 overall but was in danger of losing its fifth game in a row after surrendering the lead on three separate occasions.

Kane's game-winner came on a hard one-timer after a feed from O'Reilly. Kane beat Smith high to the glove side for his 23rd goal of the season. Buffalo added two late empty-net goals, by Foligno with 1:43 remaining and by Reinhart with 3.6 seconds left.

Goligoski tied the score 3-3 at 8:20 of the third period. The defenseman took a shot from the point that went off the post and in for his third goal of the season.

Pulkkinen opened the scoring on a two-on-one rush 7:54 into the game. Pulkkinen and left winger Max Domi's quick give-and-go left the Sabres badly out of position, and Pulkkinen had an open net for his second goal of the season.

Foligno made it 1-1 with a short-handed goal four minutes later. After O'Reilly dug in deep to fight off several nearby Coyotes, he found Foligno all alone in front of the net. Foligno's quick one-timer gave him his 11th goal of the season with 8:06 left in the first.

The teams traded goals to open the second period and O'Reilly was involved in each of them.

O'Reilly gave Buffalo a 2-1 lead 57 seconds into the period after receiving a cross-ice pass from Eichel for his 14th goal of the season. But he was beaten badly one minute later, leading to a short-handed goal by Arizona. Rieder raced past O'Reilly down the right wing, cut inside and moved around Lehner with ease to even the score his 14th of the season 2:05 into the period.

Eichel made it 3-2 with a power-play goal with 8:52 left in the second. Kyle Okposo's shot fell to Reinhart in front of the Coyotes net, and Reinhart quickly spotted Eichel to his right. Eichel put his 15th goal of the season home with a quick one-timer.

NOTES: Buffalo RW Kyle Okposo sustained an upper-body injury after a hit from D Kevin Connauton late in the second period and did not return. ... The Sabres scratched LW Nicolas Deslauriers and D Justin Falk. ... The Coyotes' scratches were C Alexander Burmistrov, LW Anthony Duclair and D Anthony DeAngelo. ... Arizona's lone deal at the trade deadline involved a swap of minor league players. The Sabres did not make a single trade at the deadline. ... Coyotes LW Jamie McGinn played for the Sabres in 2015-16, recording 27 points (14 goals, 13 assists).
Top Game Performances
 
Arizona   Buffalo
Tobias Rieder 2 Points Jack Eichel 3
Tobias Rieder 1 Goals Marcus Foligno 2
Tobias Rieder 1 Assists Jack Eichel 2
N/A Power Play Goals Jack Eichel 1
Tobias Rieder 1 Short Handed Goals Marcus Foligno 1
Mike Smith .897 Save Percentage Robin Lehner .864
Mike Smith 35 Saves Robin Lehner 19
Team Stats Summary
 
Team Shots Goals Power Play Penalty Kill Penalty Mins Face Offs Won
Arizona 22 3 0-2 2-4 10 31
Buffalo 41 6 2-4 2-2 6 33
Upcoming Games
  • Buffalo will play their next game at home against Tampa Bay. The Sabres have a W/L % of .370 after a win and .459 after a loss.
  • Arizona will play their next game on the road against Carolina. The Coyotes have a W/L % of .348 after a win and .350 after a loss.