Sabres' power play overpowers Flames
BUFFALO, N.Y. -- The Buffalo Sabres scored three power-play goals in a span of 1:41 on their way to a 4-2 win over the Calgary Flames on Monday.
Kyle Okposo, Johan Larsson, Matt Moulson and Marcus Foligno scored for Buffalo (7-8-4). Robin Lehner made 29 saves.
Mikael Backlund and Matthew Tkachuk scored for Calgary (8-12-1). Brian Elliott made 28 saves.
The game turned in the second period when the Sabres scored three goals in a span of 1:41 -- all on the power play. Calgary was unable to stay out of the penalty box in the second, taking six penalties in the period.
Okposo evened the score at 1-1 at 11:27 of the second. With two Flames (Troy Brouwer and Dougie Hamilton) in the box and a five-on-three advantage for Buffalo, center Sam Reinhart found Okposo in the slot for Okposo's sixth goal of the year.
Larsson gave the Sabres a 2-1 lead 36 seconds later. With Buffalo holding a five-on-four advantage, left winger Evander Kane's long shot was deflected by Larsson into the net at 12:03.
Moulson made it 3-1 after Calgary's Troy Brouwer took his second penalty of the period. Okposo fed Moulson with a cross-ice pass, and Moulson buried his team-best seventh goal of the year at 13:08.
The penalties capped a chippy middle period for both teams. Tkachuk was given a minor penalty at 2:23 for a hit to the head of Foligno. The teams had to be separated several times; one scrum came midway through the period after Larsson jammed the puck into the net after the whistle had blown.
Tkachuk briefly got the Flames back in the game with a goal 22 seconds into the third to make it 3-2. However, the Sabres responded less than two minutes later on Foligno's fourth goal of the season. After nearly losing control of the puck following a strong deke in front of the Flames net, Foligno tucked a backhand shot from a hard angle past Elliott.
Backlund opened the scoring 5:21 into the game by finishing off a three-on-one rush by the Flames.
NOTES: The Sabres scratched D Zach Bogosian (knee sprain), D Dmitry Kulikov (lower back) and C Ryan O'Reilly (oblique). Buffalo coach Dan Bylsma said earlier Monday that O'Reilly likely would return later this week. O'Reilly told reporters that if it were the playoffs, he likely would be in the lineup but that he is taking it cautiously for now. ... The Flames scratched RW Linden Vey and D Brett Kulak. ... Calgary backup G Chad Johnson spent parts of two seasons with the Sabres from 2015-16. He had a career-high 22 wins and a .920 save percentage in 45 games with Buffalo last season. ... This was the second and final meeting between the two teams this season. Calgary won the first meeting with a 4-3 overtime decision.