At the Horn | Canucks 4 - Sabres 3 (OT)

Dylan Cozens scored twice in a span of 1:39 to erase a third-period deficit, but Connor Garland scored with 1:01 remaining in overtime to send the Vancouver Canucks home with a 4-3 victory over the Buffalo Sabres at KeyBank Center on Friday.

Bowen Byram also scored for the Sabres, who finished with a 34-22 lead in shots but fell behind 3-1 following a pair of third-period goals by the Canucks. Cozens scored the second of his two goals to tie the game with 5:03 remaining in regulation.

Garland had two goals and an assist for the Canucks. Jake DeBrusk and Pius Suter also scored goals while Brock Boeser had a pair of assists. Kevin Lankinen made 31 saves.

Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen made 18 saves for Buffalo.

The loss opened a back-to-back set of games for the Sabres, which continues Saturday night on the road against the New York Islanders.

HOW IT HAPPENED

First Period

The Sabres earned a 4-1 advantage in high-danger attempts during the opening period (according to Natural Stat Trick) and pulled ahead on Byram’s goal with 2:27 remaining.

The goal was the result of a give-and-go play that started with Byram passing off to Zach Benson upon entering the offensive zone. Byram drove to the net through two defenders and deflected the return pass from Benson.

Luukkonen made six saves in the period, including a wrap-around attempt from Brock Boeser.

Second Period

The Canucks evened the score on DeBrusk’s goal with 1:48 remaining in the period. Brock Boeser initiated the sequence by stealing the puck along the boards, then fed Pius Suter for a one-timer from the slot. Luukkonen made the initial save, but DeBrusk pounced on the rebound.

Buffalo had two power plays in the period but was held off the board by Lankinen, who made seven saves.

Third Period

Vancouver pulled ahead on Garland’s power-play goal, a backdoor tap-in scored 5:15 into the period. The goal – which followed a double-minor penalty against Dylan Cozens for holding and unsportsmanlike conduct – ended a 15-for-15 stretch for the Sabres’ penalty kill.

Suter’s goal followed 4:45 later, after Garland blocked a Tage Thompson slap shot high in the Vancouver zone and sent the puck into the neutral zone. Suter was in position to pick it up for a breakaway and scored with a wrist shot to Luukkonen’s glove side.

The Sabres struck back with two goals from Cozens scored 1:39 apart, both the product of a net-front presence in front of Lankinen. Zach Benson battled near the backside of the net on the first goal, a shot by Cozens to the far-side corner from the right circle. Cozens got in front of Lankinen and used his body to deflect a Benson shot for the second goal.

Buffalo finished the third period with an 18-5 edge in shots.

Overtime

Tage Thompson nearly won the game on a chance in front but was stopped by Lankinen with 1:38 remaining in the extra period.

Garland got open at the back side of the net and buried a pass across from Quinn Hughes to win the game with 1:01 on the clock.

GAME HIGHLIGHTS

POSTGAME SOUND

GAME PHOTOS

UP NEXT

The Sabres conclude the back-to-back set on the road against the Islanders on Saturday. Coverage on MSG begins at 7 p.m. with puck drop scheduled for 7:30.