At the Horn | Sabres 4 - Lightning 2

Dylan Cozens scored twice and added an assist while Eric Comrie stopped 31 of 33 shots to lead the Buffalo Sabres to a 4-2 win over the Tampa Bay Lightning inside Amalie Arena on Monday.

The Sabres concluded the 2023-24 season with a 39-37-6 record and 84 points.

Jordan Greenway scored the eventual game-winning goal with 3:47 remaining in the second period before Zach Benson capped off the night with his 11th goal of the season.

Greenway (1+1) and Jack Quinn (0+2) each posted multi-point performances while Bowen Byram, Tyson Jost, and Zemgus Girgensons each picked up an assist in the victory. 

Steven Stamkos and Erik Cernak scored for the Lightning. Goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy made 30 saves in the opposing net. 

Tage Thompson exited the game with 8:38 remaining in the first period with a lower-body injury and did not return.

SCORING SUMMARY

Period 1, 1:26 – Dylan Cozens from Jack Quinn and Bowen Byram (1-0, BUF)

Comrie stopped all 16 shots he faced in the opening period while Cozens opened the scoring at the 1:26 mark to give the Sabres a 1-0 lead after one.

Cozens, Quinn, Zach Benson, Byram, and Owen Power put the pressure on in the offensive zone before Cozens capitalized on a rebound beside the net. Quinn took a shot from the slot and Cozens lifted the rebound over Vasilevskiy to give Buffalo the early lead.

Period 2, 2:27 – Steven Stamkos from Nikita Kucherov (1-1)

Stamkos tied the score 2:27 into the second with his 40th goal of the season. Kucherov forced a turnover by Rasmus Dahlin in front of the net and fed Stamkos for a quick wrist shot from the hash marks to make it a 1-1 game.

Period 2, 5:08 – Dylan Cozens from Jordan Greenway (2-1, BUF)

After Dahlin went to the penalty box for slashing Stamkos in the defensive zone, Cozens scored his second goal of the night shorthanded. Greenway stole the puck from Victor Hedman in the Lightning zone and carried the puck behind the net before finding Cozens in the slot. Cozens buried a one-timer to give the Sabres the lead with his team-leading third shorthanded goal of the season.

Period 2, 16:13 – Jordan Greenway from Zemgus Girgensons and Tyson Jost (3-1, BUF)

The Sabres extended their lead with 3:47 remaining in the second period as Greenway tallied his 10th goal of 2023-24. Girgensons drove to the net and backhanded a shot on goal before Greenway buried the rebound.

Buffalo held a 16-7 edge in shots in the middle frame, going into the locker room at the second intermission with a 3-1 lead.

Period 3, 9:39 – Erik Cernak from Nicholas Paul (3-2, BUF)

Cernak brought the Lightning within one at the 9:39 mark of the third period after Conor Sheary put together a strong forecheck along the end boards. Sheary forced a turnover and Paul picked up the loose puck, feeding Cernak for a one-timer from the point to beat Comrie.

Period 3, 9:54 – Zach Benson from Jack Quinn (4-2, BUF)

Buffalo responded just 15 seconds later as Quinn, Benson, and Cozens put pressure on the Lightning in the offensive zone. Quinn took the puck away from Nick Perbix and passed to Benson, who was alone at the right post to tap in his 11th goal of the season to put Buffalo up 4-2.