Dahlin lifts Sabres to OT win against Blues

BUFFALO -- Rasmus Dahlin scored a power-play goal at 1:33 of overtime, giving the Buffalo Sabres a 4-3 victory against the St. Louis Blues at KeyBank Center on Thursday.

Dahlin won it with a one-timer from high in the right face-off circle off a cross-ice pass from JJ Peterka.

The Sabres were awarded the power play when Justin Faulk interfered with goalie Devon Levi in the final minute of the third period. It was a delayed penalty that was not whistled until the end of the period, so the power play began at the start of overtime.

“It was not pretty today, but we found a way,” said Dahlin, the Sabres captain. “That’s what good teams do. I think it was a really mature game by us. So I’m really happy about the effort by everybody.”

Alex Tuch tied it 3-3 for Buffalo from the right side at 12:57 of the third period. He took Ryan McLeod’s pass from behind the net and beat Jordan Binnington with a low shot to the short side.

McLeod and Tuch each had a goal and an assist for the Sabres (8-8-1), who have won four of their past five games. Levi made 24 saves.

“You’ve got to be able to overcome tough moments,” Buffalo coach Lindy Ruff said. “Our second period wasn’t that good, but the answer in the third period was. We started to control play again, we started to skate through the neutral zone. A few guys didn’t have a very good night and we were able to overcome that at the same time, so big win for our club. We talked about not losing two games in a row.”

Brandon Saad scored twice, Brayden Schenn had two assists, and Binnington made 29 saves for the Blues (7-9-1), who have lost four straight (0-3-1).

“I think any point right now is a good point, but obviously we want to close out games and be able to hold on to the lead,” Saad said. “But, like I said, it's nice to get anything when you're kind of on the skid there, so we'll take it.”

Saad ended a nine-game goal drought to give St. Louis a 1-0 lead at 3:11 of the first period. Schenn sent a pass out front from behind the net and it deflected off the stick of Buffalo defenseman Owen Power to Saad, who beat Levi from the slot.

Zach Benson tied it 1-1 at 12:47. He took a pass along the goal line on the right side and snuck a wrist shot under Binnington’s left pad.

McLeod put Buffalo ahead 2-1 at 16:49 when his shot from above the right circle went through traffic and inside the far post.

“The goalies are so good these days, you’re not beating them with too many clean shots, especially from that distance,” McLeod said. “The more times you can get guys to the net, guys in front of their eyes, it goes in or it goes off somebody and goes in.”

Pavel Buchnevich tied it 2-2 at 5:25 of the second period. He had a clean look from the top of the right circle and beat Levi blocker side.

“We entered the zone with speed, [Jordan Kyrou] kicked it to me and made a great play to take away the [defenseman] from my lane and just have a clear lane to shoot and score,” Buchnevich said.

Saad made it 3-2 for the Blues at 17:15 when he got his stick on a rebound in front and slipped it through the five-hole.

“I think anytime you’re scoring goals and playing with the puck creates confidence,” Saad said. “I think as a line (with Schenn and Dylan Holloway), we did a good job of being heavy on it and protecting it and playing with it, so I think we can keep building on that.”

NOTES: Blues defenseman Pierre-Olivier Joseph left the game with a lower-body injury at 1:22 of the second period after he got tangled up with Benson near the corner. Coach Drew Bannister did not have an update on him after the game but said Joseph would be reevaluated Friday. … Kyrou (assist) extended his point streak to six games (three goals, three assists). … Dahlin's goal was the 70th of his NHL career. He’s the third defenseman in Sabres history to reach the mark, after Phil Housley (178) and Mike Ramsey (73). Dahlin also extended his point streak to five games (three goals, four assists), as did Peterka (three goals, four assists).