At the Horn | Kings 3 - Sabres 1

A third-period natural hat trick from Anze Kopitar lifted the Los Angeles Kings to a 3-1 win over the Buffalo Sabres on Thursday night at KeyBank Center.

In addition to Kopitar, five different Kings players recorded points. Kings goaltender Darcy Kuemper made 33 saves in the win.

Alex Tuch scored the Sabres' lone goal while Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen stopped 19 of 21 shots.

HOW IT HAPPENED

First Period

Both teams came out of the first period scoreless despite the Sabres generating a 14-4 shot advantage. Zach Benson scored as the final horn sounded, but the call on the ice was overturned when a video review determined the puck crossed had crossed the line after the clock hit zero.

Ryan McLeod had two of the Sabres' best looks during a penalty kill midway through the period. Kuemper lunged to his right and robbed him McLeod a wrap-around attempt, then stopped him on a penalty shot less than 30 seconds later.

After corralling the puck behind the net and attempting a wrap-around goal, Kuemper was there to meet his stick, stopping the Sabres from getting a lead.

Including the penalty shot, five penalties were called in the period - two against the Sabres and three against the Kings. The Sabres had a 5-on-3 power play for 1:09 but were unable to beat Kuemper.

Second Period

The Sabres continued to dominate the shot department in the second frame, outshooting Los Angeles 14-6. Kuemper kept Buffalo in check, stopping breakaway after breakaway – until Tuch broke through.

Tuch stole the puck from Quinton Byfield with the Sabres shorthanded and entered the offensive zone all alone. He fired a shot glove side that was stopped by Kuemper but buried his own rebound to give the Sabres a 1-0 lead.

In addition to lighting the lamp, the Sabres flashed their defensive prowess. Newly minted captain Rasmus Dahlin held up Andre Lee on his shoulders at the end of a long shift that lasted 1:50. Luukkonen stood tall in the crease with six saves, including making a glove save on a shot from Byfield in an open lane.

Third Period

Thirteen seconds into the period, Kopitar snapped a one-timer past the glove of Luukkonen on the Kings’ 12th shot of the night.

The Sabres pushed back, but shots from Tage Thompson and Byram both hit posts. Later, Kuemper slid across the crease to deny Dahlin of a one-timer goal.

With less than four minute remaining the Sabres commited two penalties within a 1:33 span to give the Kings a 5-on-3 opportunity for 27 seconds. Kopitar capitalized, scoring another one-timer goal to give the Kings a 2-1 lead.

Kopitar would later score on an empty net to complete the hat trick, and seal a 3-1 win for the Kings.

GAME HIGHLIGHTS

GAME PHOTOS

POSTGAME COMMENTS

UP NEXT

The Sabres will practice tomorrow before hosting the Florida Panthers on Saturday night at KeyBank Center. Tickets are available **here**. Puck drop is scheduled for 7 p.m. on MSG. WGR550 will have the radio call.