Senators edge Sabres in OT in Gaborik's debut
Mike Hoffman scored 73 seconds into overtime as the Ottawa Senators rallied for a 3-2 victory over the Buffalo Sabres on Thursday night at the Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa.
Marian Gaborik had a goal and an assist in his Ottawa debut and set up the tying goal by Derick Brassard with 31 seconds left in regulation.
The Senators clinched their fourth straight home win when Erik Karlsson faked a shot from the point to get Buffalo goaltender Robin Lehner out of position. He whipped the puck to Hoffman, who one-timed the pass from the left circle by Lehner, getting his 16th goal while falling to his knee.
Matt Duchene collected three assists and Craig Anderson made 23 saves as the Senators beat the Sabres for the second time in the past seven meetings.
Karlsson added two assists for Ottawa.
Scott Wilson and Evan Rodrigues scored for the Sabres, who are 3-10 in overtime.
Lehner made 33 saves for Buffalo, which played its second game without Jack Eichel (high ankle sprain).
Buffalo took a 1-0 lead 6:31 into the first period by capitalizing on a turnover by Mark Borowiecki, who coughed up the puck after being hit by Rasmus Ristolainen. The Sabres' Johan Larsson gained possession from Thomas Chabot and left a drop pass for Wilson, who put a wrist shot by Anderson.
Ottawa tied the game 5:15 into the third when Duchene won a faceoff from Rodrigues in the offensive zone. Duchene fed Karlsson, whose long point shot was re-directed in by Gaborik's stick from the right circle.
Rodrigues gave Buffalo a 2-1 lead by converting Kyle Okposo's cross-ice pass off Anderson's blocker after Casey Nelson pried the puck from Brassard.
The Senators tied the game after pulling Anderson as Gaborik made a backhand pass to Brassard, whose shot from the right circle went over Lehner's pads.
--Field Level Media