Knights blow big lead, beat Sabres in OT
LAS VEGAS -- Expansion for Vegas in the young season stands for expanding its number of victories.
The newest NHL team won again Tuesday night, beating the Buffalo Sabres 5-4 in overtime at T-Mobile Arena after blowing a three-goal, third-period lead.
Left winger David Perron's second goal of the game, with 1:08 left in overtime, gave the Golden Knights the victory.
Vegas improved to 5-1-0 with the victory in front of a crowd of 17,617 while Buffalo fell to 1-4-2.
Buffalo scored three goals in the last 10 minutes of the third period -- two in the last 1:58 after pulling goaltender Chad Johnson -- to force overtime.
The Sabres' last goal came with 8.9 seconds left when left winger Evander Kane batted a loose puck past Vegas goaltender Malcolm Subban.
The Sabres scored two power-play goals the third, including center Sam Reinhart's tally with 1:58 left, before Kane's shot.
Vegas rookie Alex Tuch highlighted the win, scoring his second goal in as many games after he was recalled from the Chicago Wolves of the AHL last weekend.
James Neal had two assists for Vegas. Golden Knights center Oscar Lindberg and right winger Reilly Smith also scored goals.
In the second period, when Vegas built a 3-1 lead, Lindberg netted his third of the season, and Smith scored a power-play goal as his wrist shot from inside the left circle beat Johnson.
Smith, who assisted Lindberg's goal in the first period, scored his goal with 1:23 left in the second period. It was the Golden Knights' first conversion on a power play after they came up empty four times previously.
Buffalo defenseman Marco Scandella was in the penalty box for slashing, occurring with 2:33 left in the period.
Vegas took a 4-1 lead with 16:10 left in the third period on Perron's goal first goal of the season. Buffalo responded with 10:00 remaining on center Ryan O'Reilly's second power-play goal of the game.
The Golden Knights took a 2-1 lead on Tuch's goal with 13:15 left in the second period. He redirected a shot by defenseman Deryk Engelland past Johnson.
Tuch and forward Vadim Shipachyov were recalled from Chicago to replace injured center Jonathan Marchessault and left winger Erik Haula.
Subban, claimed off waivers from Boston on Oct. 3, started his second game in place of injured veteran goalie Marc-Andre Fleury, who is on the injured reserve list with a concussion.
Subban finished with 30 saves after recording 21 in a 3-1 win over Boston on Sunday in the first NHL start of his career.
Johnson made 26 saves.
NOTES: The Sabres were trying to win in consecutive visits to Pacific Division teams for the first time since the team won six straight from Jan. 6, 2011, to Nov. 5, 2013. Buffalo beat Anaheim 3-1 on Sunday. ... Vegas G Marc-Andre Fleury (concussion), F Erik Haula (undisclosed), F Jonathan Marchessault (lower-body injury) and D Clayton Stoner (abdominal injury) are on the injured reserve list. ... F Vadim Shipachyov, a Russian-born player, scored the game-winning goal in Vegas' 3-1 win over Boston in his NHL debut on Sunday. Shipachyov is only the second player in NHL history to score the winning goal in his NHL debut playing for an expansion team. Buffalo Hall of Famer Gilbert Perreault accomplished the feat against Pittsburgh on Oct. 10, 1970. ... Buffalo has three players on injured reserve -- D Justin Falk (undisclosed), LW Evan Rodrigues (hand) and D Zach Bogosian (lower-body injury). RW Kyle Okposo is day-to-day with the flu.