Buffalo, N.Y. (WGR Sports Radio 550) - Tage Thompson found the net for the 35th time this season, which also counted as the game-winning goal for the Buffalo Sabres in a 3-2 win over the Ottawa Senators on Tuesday night at KeyBank Center.
The Senators got a chance to get out to an early lead with a man advantage opportunity and took advantage.
With Thompson in the box for Buffalo due to a high-sticking infraction, Senators captain Brady Tkachuk netted the opening goal to put Ottawa ahead just 1:35 into the game.
Forwards Tim Stutzle and Dylan Cozens earned assists on the power play goal for Ottawa, giving the latter his first point against his former team since a trade just ahead of the NHL Trade Deadline earlier this month.
Buffalo thought they tied the game a short time later, as Jack Quinn set up JJ Peterka on a beautiful pass breaking into the zone. However, Ottawa challenged the goal for an offside and the goal was taken off the board.
Later in the period, though, Peterka found Quinn for a one-timer to tie the game for Buffalo at 1-1 game with 1:39 remaining in the opening frame.
Ottawa re-gained its lead again in the second period on another power play, as David Perron found twine with JJ Peterka in the box for unsportsmanlike conduct.
But the Sabres tied the game back up later in the second period, as defenseman Jacob Bernard-Docker fired home his first goal in a Sabres uniform, and his second goal of the season. Tuesday also marked the first game for Bernard-Docker against his former team after the defenseman was included as part of the package in the Cozens trade.
Buffalo’s first lead of the night came 1:23 into the third period as Thompson scored on a nice feed from linemate Zach Benson from behind the net.
It was a tight game the rest of the way, but the Sabres held on to their 3-2 lead thanks to some strong play from goalie James Reimer down the stretch. His 30 saves helped backstop Buffalo to a victory on home ice.
Tuesday night’s win was also a milestone victory for Sabres head coach Lindy Ruff, as he became just the second coach in NHL history to earn 600 regular-season wins with a single franchise.
----------
SCORING RECAP
First Period:
BUF: 18:31 - Jack Quinn (11) (JJ Peterka, Ryan McLeod)
OTT: 1:35 - Matthew Tkachuk (29) PPG (Tim Stutzle, Dylan Cozens)
Second Period:
BUF: 12:59 - Jacob Bernard-Docker (2) (Tyson Kozak, Peyton Krebs)
OTT: 7:39 - David Perron (7) PPG (Ridley Greig, Claude Giroux)
Third Period:
BUF: 1:23 - Tage Thompson (35) (Zach Benson, Rasmus Dahlin)
OTT: NONE
----------
----------
Three Stars of the Game:
1.) Jacob Bernard-Docker - BUF
2.) James Reimer - BUF
3.) Jack Quinn - BUF
----------
What's next:
The Sabres welcome the Pittsburgh Penguins to KeyBank Center on Thursday night for a 7 p.m. faceoff in Downtown Buffalo. Catch all of the action on WGR Sports Radio 550, starting with pregame coverage starting at 6 p.m. with Mike Schopp.