Tuch scores short-handed in 3rd, Sabres top Sharks for 3rd win in row

SAN JOSE -- Alex Tuch scored a short-handed goal early in the third period to break a tie for the Buffalo Sabres in a 4-2 win against the San Jose Sharks at SAP Center on Saturday.

Tuch poked the puck out of the defensive zone, skated down the ice, and beat Mackenzie Blackwood blocker side to give the Sabres a 3-2 lead at 5:27. It was his third short-handed goal of the season, tied with Florida Panthers forward Sam Reinhart for the most in the NHL.

"The two previous games were both tight games, so you feel good about trying to get back. The first couple shifts were exactly what we needed," Buffalo coach Lindy Ruff said. "His penalty killing has been great, and obviously, when he gets an opportunity, he's been able to make a difference with the short-handed goals. [This] is the biggest one of the year for us."

Rasmus Dahlin had a goal and an assist, and Peyton Krebs and Dylan Cozens also scored for the Sabres (11-9-1), who have won three straight and seven of nine. James Reimer made 31 saves.

"I think the main thing is to be intentional in practice,” Reimer said. “I think it is important when you're not playing a lot to be very intentional about your details and trying to treat your details like it is a game.”

Fabian Zetterlund and Luke Kunin scored for the Sharks (6-12-5), who have lost three in a row and six of seven (1-3-3). Blackwood made 27 saves.

"With the group we have, you're never going to be perfect. You're always going to be learning how to do some things, especially as we get later into the season," San Jose forward Macklin Celebrini said. "But I mean, we've done it before, and I think we know what to do and just need to execute."

The Sharks honored former longtime captain Joe Thornton in a pre-game ceremony, retiring his No. 19 jersey.

"It's disappointing, right? You wish you could find a way to win that one for Jumbo," Sharks coach Ryan Warsofsky said. "[It was a] big night for the organization. It's frustrating."

Celebrini is living with Thornton this season, making tonight's ceremony extra special.

"This weekend was really special. You could tell how emotional he was and the family was. I've only known him for a couple of months, but it's emotional for me watching that, seeing how much I meant to him and his family," Celebrini said. "How others and his teammates spoke about him and the praise they gave him fits everything I know about him and everything I've heard about him."

Zetterlund gave San Jose a 1-0 lead 9:59 into the first period after Jake Walman's slap shot from the point rebounded off Reimer's pad to him in front.

"The ceremony and everything before, it's awesome to see," Zetterlund said. "He had a fantastic career and [is a] a great human being. [We] didn't get the win for him. It's kind of sad."

Krebs tied it 1-1 at 11:03 when he took a loose puck from the blue line and skated into a snap shot from the left circle that beat Blackwood's blocker.

Kunin put the Sharks ahead 2-1 at 4:07 of the second period with a backhand shot in front after Tyler Toffoli’s pass from behind the net.

Cozens tied it 2-2 at 2:07 of the third with a one-timer from the high slot off Dahlin’s pass from the right point.

Following Tuch’s go-ahead goal, Dahlin bounced the puck into an empty-net off the side boards with one second remaining for the 4-2 final.

NOTES: Tuch extended his point streak to six games (three goals, six assists). … Buffalo forward Tage Thompson missed his fifth straight game with a lower-body injury. ... Vitek Vanecek returned to the Sharks lineup as the backup goalie after missing the past two games with an upper-body injury.