Buffalo, N.Y. (WGR Sports Radio 550) - The Buffalo Sabres were able to outlast and outslug the Tampa Bay Lightning with a wild 8-7 win on Sunday night at KeyBank Center. The victory gave Buffalo sole possession of first place in the Atlantic Division with the regulation victory.
A hit from behind on Tage Thompson in the offensive zone ignited a series of fights between the Sabres and Lightning players in the opening period. Brandon Hagel received the intial penalty for boarding. However, Darren Raddysh and Rasmus Dahlin each received five minute majors for fighting.
The Sabres would score on the insuing power play for a 1-0 lead over the visitors. Josh Doan's 20th goal of the season came off of an offensive zone face-off win on the man advantage.
Tage Thompson and Bowen Byram were credited with the assists on the game's first goal.
The fights continued after the goal, with one of the newest Sabres Sam Carrick dropping the gloves with Scott Sabourin.
Peyton Krebs also received a fighting Hagel while Byram and Charle-Edouard D'Astous also fought and received 10 minute misconducts. The first period featured 70 penalty minutes before the intermission.
The second period picked up right where the first left off. There were two more fights just six seconds into the period, including Michael Kesselring and Erik Cernak.
However, a pair of power play goals minutes later ballooned Buffalo's lead to 3-0 over the Lightning just over five minutes into the second period. Jason Zucker scored first after a pass from Rasmus Dahlin that created an open-net opportunity.
Hagel took a double-minor for roughing when he repeatedly punched Dahlin who did not want to fight. Tage Thompson once again helped create a power play goal
Alex Tuch's tip on the Thompson shot made it a three-goal lead. It was also Thompson's third point of the game.
Corey Perry was able to get Tampa Bay on the scoreboard with his 13th goal of the season. Nikita Kucherov made the pass to Perry that helped create the scoring chance and cut Buffalo's lead to 3-1.
The two teams traded special teams goals after Owen Power was called for high-sticking. Tuch scored his second goal of the game after skating around a Tampa Bay defender to score shorthanded.
Byram was credited with the lone assist. The Sabres lead was extended back to three goals, 4-1.
The Lightning scored twice in just over two minutes to draw within a goal in the middle period. Kucherov recorded his second point of the night after fanning on a shot from the slot. The puck hit off of a pair of players and ended up in the net to trim the deficit to 4-2. Then, former Sabre Zemgus Girgensons recorded his eighth goal of the year. The goal made it 4-3 in favor of Buffalo.
Tampa Bay was able to even the score at four before the end of the second period with their third straight goal and fourth of the period. J.J. Moser assisted on the Lightning's third goal and scored the fourth for the visitors. It capped a seven-goal period.
Kucherov scored his second goal of the game. This time less than a minute into the third period, to give the Lightning their first lead of the game. Hagel made the pass that created the one-timer that gave Tampa Bay a 5-4 advantage.
Brayden Point was in the right spot at the top of the crease when the puck was sent to the front of the net. He was able to get a piece of it and extend Tampa Bay's lead to a pair of goals in the third period. His 16th goal of the year was unassisted and made the score 6-4 in favor of the Lightning.
However, Carrick was able to use a wrist shot to cut the deficit to just one goal.
Carrick's first goal with Buffalo was assisted by Zach Benson and Kesselring. It brought the Sabres within one goal, 6-5.
The teams continued to trade goals in the third period. Brandon Hagel notched his 30th goal of the year for 7-5 lead, only for Buffalo to get back within one minutes later.
Dahlin's 13th goal of the season was also his second point of the game narrow the gap to a goal. Thompson and Byram recieved the asissts on the goal that made it 7-6 in favor of Tampa Bay.
The Sabres scored each of the next two goals to re-take the lead over Tampa Bay. First it was Zucker with his second goal of the game following a stretch pass by Ryan McLeod.
Zucker's second goal of the night was also his 19th of the season. It was followed up less than two minutes later with Doan's second power play goal of the game.
The score came with Girgensons in the penalty box for slashing. Zucker and Dahlin were credited with the assists on the go-ahead goal 8-7.
The Sabres scored the final three goals of the game to finish off the victory and keep Tampa Bay from extending the game to overtime.
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SCORING RECAP
First Period
BUF: 8:26 - Josh Doan (20) PPG (Tage Thompson, Bowen Byram)
TBL: NONE
Second Period
BUF: 2:15 - Jason Zucker (18) PPG (Rasmus Dahlin, Tage Thompson); 5:10 - Alex Tuch (26) PPG (Tage Thompson, Noah Ostlund); 11:07 - Alex Tuch (27) SHG (Bowen Byram)
TBL: 7:55 - Corey Perry (13) (Nikita Kucherov, Darren Raddysh); 12:26 - Nikita Kucherov (33) PPG (Darren Raddysh); 14:46 - Zemgus Girgensons (8) (Yanni Gourde, J.J. Moser); 13:37 - J.J. Moser (6) (Conor Geekie)
Third Period:
BUF: 6:12 - Sam Carrick (5) (Zach Benson, Michael Kesselring); 11:03 - Rasmus Dahlin (13) (Tage Thompson, Bowen Byram); 14:29 - Jason Zucker (19) (Ryan McLeod); 15:43 - Josh Doan (21) PPG (Jason Zucker, Rasmus Dahlin)
TBL: 0:59 - Nikita Kucherov (34) (Brandon Hagel, J.J. Moser); 5:46 - Brayden Point (16) (Unassisted); 9:48 - Brandon Hagel (30) (Anthony Cirelli, Darren Raddysh)
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BlueStar Home Services Three Stars of the Game:
1.) Josh Doan - BUF
2.) Jason Zucker - BUF
3.) Tage Thompson - BUF
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What's next:
The Sabres' five-game homestand continues on Tuesday night when they welcome the San Jose Sharks for their lone visit to KeyBank Center this regular season. The puck drops at 7 p.m. on the flagship home of the Sabres Radio Network - WGR Sports Radio 550. Pregame coverage starts at 6 p.m. with Mike Schopp and the Bulldog.