Sabres 2, Senators 1 (SO)
Sabres 2, Senators 1 (SO): Rookie Zemgus Girgensons scored in regulation and deposited a backhand deke on his first career shootout attempt in the 10th round to lift host Buffalo over Ottawa.
Matt Moulson, Brian Flynn and captain Steve Ott scored in the bonus format for the Sabres, who won for the second time in 10 games (2-7-1) and improved to 4-0 in shootouts. Ryan Miller stopped 35 shots.
Milan Michalek scored his first goal in 10 games for the Senators. Robin Lehner made 35 saves while Mika Zibanejad, Kyle Turris and Michalek added shootout tallies.
Michalek opened the scoring on a 2-on-1 with Cory Conacher 6:25 into the contest. Girgensons chopped at a loose puck toward the net on a rush 13:15 into the second period and it trickled between Lehner’s skates to tie the game.
Miller robbed Turris with his right pad midway through the third period to preserve the tie and send the game to overtime. Moulson opened the shootout with a quick wrist shot from the low slot that beat Lehner but Zibanejad tied it in the second round with a forehand deke between Miller’s legs.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Flynn and Turris traded goals in the sixth round of the shootout before Ott and Michalek did the same in the seventh. … Girgensons has collected four of his 10 points in his last five games. … The Senators and Sabres face each other again Thursday at Ottawa. … Sabres D Tyler Myers was hit in the neck by a puck late in overtime and left the game.