Senators 3, Sabres 1
BUFFALO, N.Y. -- Center Kyle Turris scored twice Thursday, leading the Ottawa Senators to a 3-1 win over the Buffalo Sabres in the season opener for both teams.
Ottawa goalie Craig Anderson made 26 saves, and right winger Curtis Lazar added an empty-net goal.
The Sabres mounted a comeback and appeared to tie the game midway through the third period, but a goal from left winger Evander Kane was overturned following a coach's challenge.
Making his much-anticipated NHL debut, second overall pick Jack Eichel scored in his first game with Buffalo.
It didn't take very long for the Senators to quiet a boisterous home crowd. Thirty seconds into the game, left winger Mike Hoffman found Turris wide open in the slot, and Turris ripped a wrist shot above goalie Robin Lehner's glove to put Ottawa up 1-0.
Turris picked up his second goal following a turnover by Sabres defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen behind the Buffalo net. Hoffman's pass deflected off Sabres center David Legwand's skate to Turris, who was sitting by himself at the top of the crease. Turris had an easy finish to give Ottawa a 2-0 lead.
Eichel got the Sabres on the board with a power-play goal 9:11 into the third period. The 18-year-old former Boston University star lifted a wrist shot from the left circle into the top of the net to a deafening ovation.
The Sabres nearly tied the game with 9:26 remaining in the third after Kane jammed the puck into the net. The goal eventually was overturned, as Sabres center Zemgus Girgensons was ruled to be offside.
Lehner made 11 saves before leaving 7:30 into the second period due to a lower-body injury. He appeared to injure his left leg on a routine save. Lehner was replaced by Chad Johnson, who stopped eight of the nine shots he faced.
NOTES: Sabres captain Brian Gionta missed the game with a lower-body injury. The right winger is considered day-to-day, according to coach Dan Bylsma, and should not be out for an extended period of time. ... D Jake McCabe and D Matt Donovan were scratched for Buffalo. ... LW Shane Prince and D Chris Wideman were scratched for Ottawa. ... The next meeting between the two teams is Jan. 26 in Ottawa. ... This was the third time in franchise history that the Sabres opened the season against the Senators. Both of the previous games (1995-96 and 2010-11) were Buffalo wins in Ottawa. ... Ottawa won last year's season series against the Sabres with a record of 4-0-1.