At the Horn | Sabres 4 - Senators 0

Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen made 35 saves for his second shutout of the season and Ryan McLeod had a goal and two assists in the Buffalo Sabres’ 4-0 win over the Ottawa Senators at Canadian Tire Centre on Thursday.

Jack Quinn, an Ottawa native, scored a pair of goals in the victory. Dylan Cozens also scored for the Sabres, who won their second straight game following a 4-3 shootout victory over Washington at home on Monday.

McLeod’s season-high three points came one game after the Sabres lost center Jiri Kulich to a lower-body injury. He skated 20:15 – his second-highest ice time this season behind the 21:44 he skated on Monday – and had five shots while winning 12 of 22 faceoffs.

Sabres coach Lindy Ruff had spoken Wednesday about how McLeod would be counted on in Kulich’s absence.

“He becomes real important, obviously,” Ruff said. “We need him to really play the way he did the other night (against Washington) – defend well, use his speed.”

Anton Forsberg made 17 saves for Ottawa.

HOW IT HAPPENED

First Period

Quinn was assessed two minor penalties during the period. Both times, he scored shortly after exiting the box.

Quinn’s first penalty, a hooking call drawn by Ridly Greig, came 6:01 into the contest with the Sabres on the power play – which in itself was the result of a charging penalty against Brady Tkachuk for a hit from behind that left Jason Zucker down along the boards. (Zucker left the game for a stretch but returned late in the period.)

The Sabres killed the short Senators power play and, on his next turn on the ice, Quinn beat Forsberg with a shot from the right faceoff circle on the rush. The play was the product of pressure by linemates McLeod and Zach Benson to force a turnover at the opposite blue line.

Quinn was later assessed a second hooking minor, this one drawn by Tim Stutzle. As the final seconds dwindled on another successful penalty kill by the Sabres, Thomas Chabot wound up for a slap shot from the point. McLeod blocked the shot in the direction of Peyton Krebs, who delivered a stretch pass to send Quinn on a breakaway as he left the box.

Luukkonen finished the period with 13 saves.

Second Period

Cozens intercepted an attempted breakout pass by defenseman Nick Jensen in the slot and fired a quick shot above Forsberg’s right pad 4:11 into the period.

McLeod later scored on an attempted pass to Benson, who was stationed at the back side of the net. The pass deflected off the back of Chabot and into the Ottawa net to increase Buffalo's lead to 4-0.

The Sabres generated a 10-6 lead in shots in the period.

Third Period

Dennis Gilbert went after Tkachuk in the first period in response to the Ottawa captain’s hit on Zucker – a moment that foreshadowed their third-period fight, which came following a hard hit from Gilbert on Jensen. The fight was Gilbert’s second this season.

Luukkonen made 16 saves in the period to complete the shutout, including a stop on a shorthanded breakaway attempt by Shane Pinto.

GAME HIGHLIGHTS

POSTGAME SOUND

UP NEXT

The Sabres return home to host the Seattle Kraken at 4 p.m. on Saturday. It will be Kids Takeover Day at KeyBank Center, with young fans assuming roles such as junior reporter, in-arena host, and more.

Tickets are available here.

Coverage on MSG begins at 3:30 p.m.