San Jose, Calif. (WGR Sports Radio 550) - With a chance to sweep their three-game California road trip, the Buffalo Sabres stepped up to the plate and delivered.
The Sabres played comeback for a second-consecutive night, and were able to defeat the San Jose Sharks, 4-2, on Saturday night at SAP Center.
It was the Sharks getting the scoring started, as almost at the halfway point of the opening period, forward Fabian Zetterlund deposited a rebound in past James Reimer in the Buffalo net.
Just 1:04 later, the Sabres responded and knotted the score at 1-1. Peyton Krebs got loose down the left wing, and snapped a wrist-shot off the post and in for his third goal of the season.
Later on, San Jose re-claimed its lead about four minutes into the second period. Forward Luke Kunin accepted a centering pass from winger Tyler Toffoli from behind the goal line. Kunin beat Reimer with a backhand to make it 2-1, Sharks.
The Sabres turned the tide in the early goings of the third period of play.
It started 2:07 into the frame, as center Dylan Cozens let go of a slapshot that evened the score at 2-2.
Just 3:20 later, the Sabres took their first lead of the night, and did so while shorthanded.
With captain Rasmus Dahlin in the penalty box, Alex Tuch forced a turnover, turned the play back the other way, and wired his team-leading third shorthanded goal of the season to give the Sabres a 3-2 edge.
Tuch is also now tied for the league-lead in shorthanded markers with Florida Panthers forward Sam Reinhart.
Buffalo weathered late pressure from the Sharks, and even snuck an empty-net goal in before the horn for good measure.
A long-range clearing attempt from Dahlin ended up crossing the goal line with 0.9 seconds to spare, giving the Sabres captain his sixth goal of the 2024-25 campaign.
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SCORING RECAP
First Period:
BUF: 11:03 - Peyton Krebs (3) (Bowen Byram)
SJS: 9:59 - Fabian Zetterlund (8) (Jake Walman, William Eklund)
Second Period:
BUF: NONE
SJS: 4:07 - Luke Kunin (4) (Tyler Toffoli, Alexander Wennberg)
Third Period:
BUF: 2:07 - Dylan Cozens (4) (Rasmus Dahlin, Bowen Byram); 5:27 - Alex Tuch (7) SHG (Unassisted); 19:59 - Rasmus Dahlin (6) ENG (Unassisted)
SJS: NONE
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Three Stars of the Game:
1.) James Reimer - BUF
2.) Bowen Byram - BUF
3.) Tyler Toffoli - SJS
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What's next:
The Sabres home to host the Minnesota Wild on Wednesday night at KeyBank Center in Downtown Buffalo. Puck drop is set for 7 p.m. EST with Dan Dunleavy and Rob Ray on the call.