Sabres score 5 unanswered goals to defeat Golden Knights

Kyle Okposo sensed no panic on the Buffalo Sabres bench, even after their two-goal lead disappeared within a matter of minutes inside KeyBank Center on Saturday.

The Sabres responded with five unanswered goals to defeat the Vegas Golden Knights 7-2, their fifth win in the last six games.

“We just have to make sure we have faith in the way that we know how to play and we were playing tonight,” Okposo said. “There was nothing wrong with how we were playing and we just wanted to make sure we continued that. It was definitely a mature response.”

The Sabres led 2-0 after Dylan Cozens scored on a shorthanded breakaway 54 seconds into the second period. The Vegas Golden Knights responded less than a minute later with a power-play goal from Brendan Brisson, then tied the game on a goal from William Karlsson.

Buffalo’s answer came in the form of a full-team effort, including a highlight-reel blocker save from Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen that prevented Vegas forward Michael Amadio from scoring the go-ahead goal. The Sabres outshot the Golden Knights 13-8 and out-attempted them 37-16 during the second period and pulled ahead for good when Zemgus Girgensons sent a shot to the far-side corner with 5:14 remaining.

“We had to get the momentum back, and I thought all four lines did it,” Sabres coach Don Granato said. “I thought all six defensemen did it. We did a nice job and didn’t score right away. It took a while for Zemgus to score, but what a nice goal that was. Yes, I liked that response.”

Jeff Skinner and Owen Power each had a goal and two assists for the Sabres. Okposo and Mittelstadt added third-period goals, while Cozens tacked on a second shorthanded goal with 2:48 remaining. 

Luukkonen started for the 18th time in Buffalo’s last 20 games and made 22 saves.

The Sabres found their pace out of the gate, earning a 17-5 advantage in shot attempts through the opening 10 minutes and pulling ahead when Skinner stripped the puck from Karlsson and buried a wrist shot from the slot 1:55 into the contest.

They were able to lean on that foundation again after the Golden Knights briefly swung momentum with their two second-period goals.

“I think when that happens, you look to get a positive shift somehow,” Skinner said. “It doesn't have to be a goal, just back in their end.

“I think we sort of settle back in and then sort of go from there. And I think we did a good job of that. And then we started rolling through the lineup. And I think in the second we had some spurts there where we really played in the O-zone for quite a while.”

Here’s more from the victory.

1. Luukkonen has now allowed two goals or fewer in 13 of his last 17 starts. His .932 save percentage in that span leads NHL goaltenders with a minimum of six games played.

2. Skinner became the first Sabres player to hit the 20-goal mark this season. It’s his 10th season with at least 20 goals.

“We all love seeing Skinny score a lot, he gets so fired up and it fires all of us up,” Cozens said. “When he’s scoring, he can score from anywhere and it’s fun to watch.”

3. Cozens scored his first and second shorthanded goals of the season, which Granato attributed to the 23-year-old’s growing comfort on the penalty kill. He outraced Shea Theodore to a loose puck in the neutral zone before beating goaltender Logan Thompson with a wrist shot to his glove side for the first goal, then banked a backhand shot off the back of Thompson for the second.

“He is evolving into just better and better every day on the penalty kill,” Granato said. “More comfortable. Situations that repeat, he’s recognizing faster and picking up on them and when you do that you can jump them quicker, and you can close out quicker. So, lots of little nuances are becoming experience for him.”

4. The Sabres held a 42-18 advantage in shot attempts when Rasmus Dahlin was on the ice at 5-on-5, according to Natural Stat Trick.

Up next

The Sabres conclude the back-to-back set at home against Winnipeg on Sunday. Pregame coverage on MSG/MSG+ begins at 6:30 p.m. with puck drop scheduled for 7. Fans outside of the Buffalo broadcast market can watch on NHL Network.

Radio coverage can be found on WGR 550.