Buffalo, N.Y. (WGR 550) - The Buffalo Sabres were able to battle back with a goal late in regulation, followed by the overtime winner from Victor Olofsson to defeat the Minnesota Wild, 6-5, on Saturday night at KeyBank Center.
The Sabres struck first 13 minutes into the opening period to take a 1-0 lead over Minnesota. OIofsson converted after a broken play resulted in the puck landing on Casey Mittelstadt's stick. Mittelstadt passed the puck across ice for Olofsson to bury the chance.
Buffalo had the lone power play chance in the first period when Kirill Kaprizov was called for hooking. However, the Sabres could not take advantage.
The Wild answered with a goal less than three minutes into the second period to tie the game, 1-1. Brandon Duhaime was able to score his fourth goal of the season by chipping the puck from the front of the net by Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen.
Kaprizov was able to take advantage of a two-man advantage midway through the middle stanza, giving Minnesota a 2-1 lead. The goal came with Ilya Lyubushkin in the penalty box for interference, as well as Jack Quinn for delay of game.
The Sabres used a power play goal of their own later in the period to tie the game at 2-2. Tage Thompson scored his 31st goal of the season just six seconds into the man advantage. Rasmus Dahlin and Dylan Cozens assisted on the special teams goal.
Dahlin added a goal of his own less than two minutes later to give Buffalo another lead, this time, 3-2. The defenseman dragged the puck through the neutral zone and was able to beat Marc-Andre Fleury with a wrist shot for the score.
Cozens added another power play goal in the period after Tuch worked to keep the puck in the offensive zone. The forward picked the far corner of the net for his 13th goal of the season that extended Buffalo's lead to 4-2.
Minnesota closed within a goal before the end of the second period thanks to Ryan Hartman's fifth goal of the season. He was able to bat a Frederick Gaudreau's pass out of the air and make the score 4-3.
A pair of goals early in the third period helped the Wild take a 5-4 lead over the Sabres.
First, former Sabres winger Marcus Foligno had a loose puck hit him by the net and then trickle across the goal line for his fourth goal of the season. Moments later, Joel Eriksson Ek's power play goal gave the visitors the one-goal lead.
Dahlin's second goal of the game came with 2:24 left in regulation and tied the game at 5-5. The defenseman was able to unleash a slap shot from the half-wall and beat Fleury through the five-hole for his 12th goal of the year and fourth point of the night.
In overtime, the Sabres and Wild traded scoring chances before Olofsson was able to bury his second goal of the game and give Buffalo a 6-5 victory. Peyton Krebs made the pass that setup the goal, while Dahlin assisted again for his fifth point of the game.
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GAME RECAP
Scoring Summary:
First Period:
BUF: 13:00 - Victor Olofsson (14) (Casey Mittelstadt, Rasmus Dahlin)
MIN: NONE
Second Period:
BUF: 10:30 - Tage Thompson (31) PPG (Rasmus Dahlin, Dylan Cozens); 12:02 - Rasmus Dahlin (11) (Casey Mittelstadt, Tyson Jost); 13:55 - Dylan Cozens (13) PPG (Alex Tuch)
MIN: 2:52 - Brandon Duhaime (4) (Ryan Hartman, Matt Dumba); 6:46 - Kirill Kaprizov (23) PPG (Calen Addison, Sam Steel); 18:45 - Ryan Hartman (5) (Frederick Gaudreau)
Third Period:
BUF: 17:36 - Rasmus Dahlin (12) (Casey Mittelstadt, Owen Power)
MIN: 0:26 - Marcus Foligno (4) (Joel Eriksson Ek, Jordan Greenway); 7:48 - Joel Eriksson Ek (14) PPG (Calen Addison, Marc-Andre Fleury)
Overtime:
BUF: 4:41 - Victor Olofsson (15) (Peyton Krebs, Rasmus Dahlin)
MIN: NONE
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Penalty Summary:
First Period:
BUF: NONE
MIN: 17:19 - Kiril Kaprizov (Hooking - 2 min.)
Second Period:
BUF: 5:22 - Ilya Lyubushkin (Interference - 2 min.); 6:24 - Jack Quinn (Delay of game - 2 min.)
MIN: 10:24 - Connor Dewar (Tripping - 2 min.); 12:42 - Kirill Kaprizov (Roughing - 2 min.)
Third Period:
BUF: 5:32 - Kale Clague (Tripping - 2 min.); 7:27 - Tyson Jost (Hooking - 2 min.)
MIN: NONE
Overtime:
BUF: NONE
MIN: NONE
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Losi and Gangi Three Stars of the Game:
1.) Rasmus Dahlin - BUF
2.) Casey Mittelstadt - BUF
3.) Victor Olofsson - BUF
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What's next:
The Sabres will remain home for the second game of a four-game homestand. Buffalo hosts the Philadelphia Flyers on Monday night at 7 p.m. EST with pregamce coverage on the flagship home of the Sabres - WGR Sports Radio 550 - beginning at 6 p.m. EST with Mike Schopp and the Bulldog.
