Sabres alone atop Atlantic Division standings following wild win over Lightning
Buffalo scored the first three goals of the game and the last three goals to secure an 8-7 win
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 Sabres forward Tage Thompson in the offensive zone ignited a series of fights between the two teams in the opening period. Lightning forward Brandon Hagel received a boarding penalty, while defenseman Darren Raddysh also received a slashing penalty on top of dropping the gloves with Sabres captain Rasmus Dahlin.
The Sabres ended up scoring on the ensuing power play, as Josh Doan's 20th goal of the season came off of an offensive zone faceoff win on the man advantage.
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 players acquired at the NHL Trade Deadline, Sam Carrick, dropping the gloves with Lightning forward Scott Sabourin.
Sabres forward Peyton Krebs also received a fighting major after going at it with Hagel, while Byram and Lightning defensman Charle-Edouard D'Astous received roughing minors and 10-minute misconducts.
The first period featured 70 penalty minutes before the intermission.
The second period picked up right where the first left off with two more fights just six seconds into the period. The first featured Sabres defenseman Michael Kesselring squaring off with Lightning defenseman Erik Cernak, followed by Sabres winger Beck Malenstyn dropping the gloves with Lightning winger Corey Perry.
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 nifty pass from Dahlin that created an open-net opportunity.
Moments later, Hagel took a double-minor roughing penalty when he repeatedly punched Dahlin, who did not want to fight, in the back of the head.
It didn't take long soon after for the Sabres to capitalize when Thompson, once again, helped create a power play goal. This time, his shot on goal was tipped by winger Alex Tuch past the glove hand of Lightning goalie Jonas Johansson.
Perry was finally 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 was able to break in free behind Raddysh while playing shorthanded and score his second goal of the game.
Byram was credited with the lone assist, as the Sabres extended their lead back to three goals, 4-1.
The Lightning scored twice in just over two minutes to draw to within a goal with a little more than five minutes remaining in the middle frame.
Kucherov recorded his second point of the night after fanning on a shot from the slot, but the puck hit off of a pair of players and ended up in the net to trim the deficit to 4-2.
Then, former Sabres forward Zemgus Girgensons recorded his eighth goal of the year, making it a 4-3 hockey game.
Tampa Bay was not done there, as they Lightning evened the score at 4-4 just before the end of the second period.
After assisting on the Lightning's third goal of the period, defenseman J.J. Moser scored the fourth for the visitors to cap a seven-goal period between both clubs.
Kucherov scored his second goal of the game 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, 6-4. It was his 16th goal of the year, unassisted.
However, Carrick was able to use a wrist shot on a 2-on-1 rush to cut the Sabres' deficit to just one goal.
Carrick's first goal with Buffalo was assisted by Zach Benson and Kesselring.
The teams continued to trade goals in the third period.
Hagel continued to be a thorn in Buffalo's side by notching his 30th goal of the year to give the Lightning a 7-5 lead with 10:12 remaining in regulation.
The Sabres didn't quit, though, as the captain started his team's comeback with a nifty move to the net to score his 13th goal of the season and make it a 7-6 game with 8:57 remaining.
Thompson and Byram recieved the asissts on the goal.
The Sabres scored each of the next two goals to re-take the lead late in the third period.
First, it was Zucker taking a stretch pass from forward Ryan McLeod all the way to the Lightning net, and backhanding a shot over Johansson to tie the game at 7-7.
Zucker's second goal of the night and 19th of the season was then followed up less than two minutes later with Doan's second power play goal of the game to give the lead back to the Sabres, 8-7.
The goal came with just 4:17 left on the clock and Girgensons in the penalty box for slashing.
After scoring the first three goals of the game, the Sabres scored the final three goals of the game to finish off their seventh-straight victory and secure two crucial points in the division standings.
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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.
