Saros makes 34 saves, Predators shut down Sabres

BUFFALO -- Juuse Saros made 34 saves to help the Nashville Predators to a 2-1 win against the Buffalo Sabres at KeyBank Center on Sunday.

The goalie was pulled in his previous start Thursday, a 6-1 loss against the Minnesota Wild, after allowing four goals on 15 shots.

“He’s a battler,” Nashville coach Andrew Brunette said. “He’s a [competitor] and he competes on everything -- every practice, every shot. And I thought he was really, really sharp tonight. Right from the get-go you could tell he was dialed in. He’s the ultimate team player and he’s the type of kid, he’s going to will himself to play like he did tonight and for the team, too.”

Filip Forsberg and Yakov Trenin scored for the Predators (12-12-0), who won for the first time in three games.

“I thought we came out ready to play,” Forsberg said. “Obviously they get that goal and turn the momentum maybe a little bit but I thought we defended well, Juuse played great in between the pipes. We obviously should have produced a couple more goals, I think, especially in the first and the second where we had a ton of chances. Their goalie played great, gotta give him credit. But overall pretty good game.”

Victor Olofsson scored on a penalty shot, and Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen made 27 saves for the Sabres (10-13-2), who have lost three in a row and four of their past five.

“I feel like right now it’s like it’s two different teams out there,” Buffalo center Dylan Cozens said. “We play a completely different way when we’re down and that’s how we need to play right off the bat. We need to play like we’re desperate right off the bat before we get down two goals because it’s tough to come back from that. We’ve been doing that a lot lately, getting down early. We just need to have better starts.”

Forsberg put the Predators ahead 1-0 at 9:40 of the first period when he shot a loose puck off the face-off from the left circle into the far side of the net. 

Trenin tipped a shot by Colton Sissons at the front of the net to make it 2-0 at 10:54.

“I felt we were on the forecheck well,” Forsberg said of the first period. “They’ve got some guys that like to skate back there and we tried to play physical, run through them and get the puck back and create a couple goals off that. Obviously a nice face-off play on the first goal and a nice shot tip. So that’s all it takes.”

Olofsson scored on a penalty shot, deking from backhand to forehand before lifting it under the crossbar to cut it to 2-1 at 10:02 of the second period. He was awarded the penalty shot after he was taken down by Jeremy Lauzon on a breakaway.

The Sabres gained momentum from the goal and pressed for the equalizer late in the second and through the third period. They forced Saros into several difficult saves, including a sprawling stop on Cozens in front seven minutes into the third period.

“We had a couple (of chances) early in the first around the front of the net,” Buffalo coach Don Granato said. “I think [Alex] Tuch hit a crossbar, I think, after they scored their first or second. But we didn’t have the energy I think you’re speaking of or the confidence, mojo, swagger, fearlessness, whatever. However you want to describe it. We were hesitant at the start. …

“I felt we at some point needed to snap out of it. And you referenced the penalty shot goal—I think we were a different team after that and needed to be a different team before that.”

NOTES: Forsberg is the third player in Predators history with 40 or more game-opening goals, joining Craig Smith (44) and David Legwand (43). … Olofsson scored his second NHL penalty-shot goal, tying Miroslav Satan and Thomas Vanek for the most in Sabres history. He also scored Buffalo’s last penalty-shot goal (March 24, 2021). … Buffalo forward Alex Tuch left the game at 7:34 of the third period with an undisclosed injury. Granato didn’t have an update postgame but expected to know more on his status Monday.