Sabres rally for 5-4 win over Sharks in OT
BUFFALO, N.Y. -- Evander Kane scored 1:05 into overtime to lead the Buffalo Sabres to a 5-4 win over the San Jose Sharks on Tuesday night.
Kane's second goal of the night capped a remarkable comeback by the Sabres, who erased a 4-1 deficit with three goals in a span of 3:28 midway through the third period.
The winner came on a two-on-one rush. Sabres center Jack Eichel fed Kane, who placed a quick one-timer to the blocker side before crashing hard into the boards.
Matt Moulson, Ryan O'Reilly and Kyle Okposo also scored for the Sabres (22-21-10). Anders Nilsson made 36 saves.
Joel Ward, Logan Couture, Melker Karlsson and Joe Pavelski scored for the Sharks (33-17-4). Martin Jones had 31 saves.
The comeback began 9:03 into the third period after a power-play goal by O'Reilly, who was spotted in the slot by Eichel and put home his 11th goal of the year.
Kane cut the deficit to one with a wraparound with 8:24 remaining for his first goal of the evening.
Okposo evened the score less than a minute later. The Sabres' leading goal scorer received the puck from Sam Reinhart in the left circle and got just enough on his shot to the glove side, which deflected off Jones' glove and into the net for Okposo's 17th goal of the season.
Moulson opened the scoring 7:24 into the game with a power-play goal, putting the finish touch on a Brian Gionta shot that was on its way over the goal line.
Ward evened the score with 5:57 remaining in the first period by deflecting Brent Burns' shot from the point -- and it was all San Jose until midway through the third period.
Couture made it 2-1 with 2:47 left in the first period. Nilsson stopped Mikkel Boedker's initial shot with his mask but was unable to locate the puck afterward. Couture pounced on the rebound for his 19th goal of the year.
Karlsson made it 3-1 with 8:37 remaining in the second period off a hard wrist shot from the slot.
Pavelski boosted the lead to 4-1 with a power-play goal 6:07 into the third. After receiving a pass from Burns inside the left circle, Pavelski's quick one-timer gave the center his 18th goal of the season.
NOTES: D Zach Bogosian (ribs), D Justin Falk and LW William Carrier (knee) were scratched for the Sabres. Bogosian, one of Buffalo's top defensemen, missed his third game in a row. G Robin Lehner was given the night off after making 37 saves in a 2-1 loss to New Jersey on Monday. ... RW Joonas Donskoi, C Ryan Carpenter and D Joakim Ryan were scratched for the Sharks. ... This was the first of two meetings between the teams this season. Their second and final meeting takes place March 14 in San Jose. ... C Joe Thornton made his Sharks debut on Dec. 2, 2005, at Buffalo.