Sabres top Kraken in shootout

Buffalo, NY (WGR Sports Radio 550) - The Sabres got a much needed two points Saturday night to stop the three game losing skid with a 3-2 shootout win over the Kraken. Peyton Krebs scored the game tying goal in the third while Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen stopped 32 shots and both Seattle attempts in the shootout.

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The Sabres and Kraken would both get early chances with the man advantage. First Seattle defenseman Adam Larsson got called for hooking and then just as that penalty expired, Alex Tuch went to the box for tripping but neither team could capitalize on the power play.

Buffalo's penalty kill got challenged again with Rasmus Dahlin off for interference midway through the first period, though moments after returning to five on five the Kraken took the 1-0 lead on a goal from Chandler Stephenson off of a turnover in the defensive zone by Bowen Byram.

The second period started with some physicality as Jamie Oleksiak challenged Logan Stanley to a fight to answer for a big hit Stanley laid on Shane Wright in the first period.

The Sabres thought they tied the game on a nice wrister by Sam Carrick, but it bounced off both posts and stayed out. Then on the next shift Bobby McMann broke in past Rasmus Dahlin along the boards and beat Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen short side and Seattle took the 2-0 lead.

Buffalo finally got on the board later in the second with a power play goal by Rasmus Dahlin on a point shot through traffic to cut the Kraken lead to 2-1 before the third period. The goal would be the 100th goal of Dahlin's career.

The score remained the same until midway through the third when Peyton Krebs snapped a wrister past Philipp Grubauer on a 2-on-1 to tie the game 2-2. That would be it for the scoring in regulation as we would head to overtime. Each team had plenty of chances in the extra frame but the goalies stood tall and it was on to a shootout.

The shootout went Buffalo's way as both Tage Thompson and Jack Quinn would score while Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen stopped both Kraken shooters in the victory. The Sabres improved to 5-0 in shootouts this season.

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GAME RECAP

Scoring Summary:

First Period:

BUF: NONE

SEA: 12:42 - Chandler Stephenson (15) (Kaapo Kakko, Bobby McMann)

Second Period:

BUF: 15:55 - Rasmus Dahlin (17)(PPG) (Tage Thompson, Jack Quinn)

SEA: 13:18 - Bobby McMann (26) (Kaapo Kakko, Chandler Stephenson)

Third Period:

BUF: 11:39 - Peyton Krebs (10) (Zach Benson)

SEA: NONE

Overtime:

BUF: NONE

SEA: NONE

Shootout:

Tage Thompson - Score

Freddy Gaudreau - Stopped

Jack Quinn - Score

Kaapo Kakko - Stopped

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STATS OF THE GAME:

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Blue Star Home Services Three Stars of the Game:

1.) Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen (BUF)

2.) Peyton Krebs (BUF)

3.) Jack Quinn (BUF)

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What's next: The Sabres finish up their four game homestand as they welcome the New York Islanders to KeyBank Center Tuesday night for a 7:00 p.m. ET puck drop. Catch all of the action on WGR Sports Radio 550 starting with the pregame at 6:00 p.m. ET with Mike Schopp and the Bulldog.