Predators 3, Sabres 2
BUFFALO, N.Y. -- Center Mike Fisher, right winger Craig Smith and center Cody Hodgson scored to lead the Nashville Predators to a 3-2 win over the Buffalo Sabres Wednesday night.
Goalie Carter Hutton made 30 saves for Nashville (12-6-3).
Left winger Evander Kane and center Jack Eichel scored for the Sabres (8-12-2). Sabres goalie Linus Ullmark was pulled after allowing three goals on eight shots. He was replaced by goalie Chad Johnson, who made 12 saves.
The Predators didn't get their first shots on goal until just over six minutes remained in the first period, but they made the most of them.
Following a shot from the right point by defenseman Ryan Ellis, Fisher slammed home the rebound to give Nashville a 1-0 lead at 13:52. The Predators ended a franchise-worst scoreless streak of 227:39 with the goal.
Smith increased Nashville's lead to 2-0 55 seconds into the second period. After skating over the blue line, Smith slipped into the right circle and whipped a wrist shot off the left post and into the net.
Hodgson, the former Sabre, made it 3-0 6:29 into the third following a great feed from right winger Gabriel Bourque. After Bourque inadvertently blocked center Calle Jarnkrok's shot from the point, he fed a pass from the right to left circle, and Hodgson buried his chance into the open net.
It was Hodgson's first game in Buffalo against his former team after he was waived and bought out by the Sabres this summer. Hodgson played for the Sabres the previous 3 1/2 seasons.
Kane got the Sabres on the board with 1:38 remaining in the second with a hard wrist shot from long range. Kane returned to the lineup Monday after missing 10 games due to a knee sprain.
Eichel made it 3-2 with 1:19 remaining. With Johnson pulled for an extra attacker, Eichel blasted a one-timer from the left circle following a cross-ice feed by center Ryan O'Reilly.
NOTES: C Tyler Ennis, D Mark Pysyk and C Tim Schaller were scratched for the Sabres. Ennis, one of Buffalo's top forwards, had been struggling in recent games; he missed the game due to an upper-body injury. ... D Anthony Bitetto, RW Miikka Salomaki and D Victor Bartley were scratched for the Predators. ... This was the first of two meetings between these teams this year. They meet again on Saturday in Nashville. ... C Paul Gaustad played for the Sabres for eight seasons from 2002-12. He was acquired by the Predators from the Sabres at the trade deadline in 2012.