Devon Toews' OT Winner Completes Avalanche's Incredible Comeback Victory Against Buffalo

A Comeback Win to Start 2025

After trailing 3-0 in the second period, the Avalanche came back to beat the Buffalo Sabres 6-5 in overtime at Ball Arena on Thursday. Jonathan Drouin's goal with eight seconds left forced overtime and Devon Toews scored the game-winning tally. Additionally, Cale Makar added two goals and Nathan MacKinnon recorded three assists.

"We [scratched] and [clawed] our way back," Avalanche Head Coach Jared Bednar said after the game. "At the end of the day, I'm really happy with what we did in the second half. It's another feather in our guys' cap the way they dug in, and they get the win."

This win marked the Avalanche's sixth-straight victory and improved the team's record to 24-15-0.

“[The] best part was probably [that] the crowd was electric the last [part of the] third period," Mikko Rantanen said when talking about Drouin's game-tying goal. "It was so loud. So thanks to the fans, for sure."

How It Happened

The Sabres opened the scoring on the power play at 13:17 of the first period when Jason Zucker scored from the right doorstep.

Bowen Byram doubled Buffalo's lead off the rush at 17:10 of the opening frame.

Zucker's second of the night put Buffalo ahead 3-0 with a shot from the doorstep at 11:08 of the second period.

At 14:58 of the middle frame, Makar scored his 12th goal of the season with a wrist shot that went top-shelf from the right circle after deking around Zucker at the top of the right circle.

Just 65 seconds into the third period, Ross Colton cut the Avs' deficit to one with his 12th tally of the year via a shot from the left doorstep.

Buffalo took a 4-2 lead at 1:27 of the third when Zach Benson scored a wraparound goal while Avs goalie Scott Wedgewood was laying down injured in the net. After the goal, Mackenzie Blackwood replaced Wedgewood in the Avs' net.

Colorado answered less than three minutes later, at 4:17, when Rantanen scored his signature right-circle one-timer on the power play for his 22nd goal of the season.

Zucker scored his third of the night to give the Sabres a 5-3 lead at 16:09 of the third with a shot from the right doorstep.

With the Avs having an extra attacker with their net empty, Makar scored his second goal of the game and 13th of the season via a left-circle slap shot at 17:34.

With just eight seconds in regulation and the Avs having an extra attacker, Drouin scored his third goal of the year via a one-timer from the slot.

On the goal, MacKinnon picked up the primary helper and became the sixth player in NHL history to record 50 assists in 40 or fewer games in a season.

In overtime, Toews stole the puck from Tage Thompson and created a breakaway for himself and scored his third goal of the season to complete the Avs' comeback 48 seconds into the extra frame.

"The defensive play was great," Bednar said. "[He] angles him. What he did leading up to that rush chance is what's impressive and what we know him for. And then to finish it off, great finish. I mean that's a heck of a play."

Next Up

The Avalanche continue their homestand on Saturday against the Montreal Canadiens at 5 p.m. MT on Altitude and Altitude+.