Jeff Skinner scored on a power play less than two minutes into overtime Tuesday as the Buffalo Sabres rallied from a two-goal, third-period deficit to earn a 4-3 victory over the visiting Los Angeles Kings.
With Buffalo on a four-on-three advantage to open the extra period following a holding penalty to the Kings' Oscar Fantenberg with four seconds remaining in regulation, Skinner scored off a rebound for his 21st goal of the season.
The Kings were down to four defensemen after Drew Doughty and Dion Phaneuf each played less than 12 minutes because of injuries. Doughty was playing in his 360th consecutive game. Defenseman Jake Muzzin had a career high 30:35 of ice time.
Matt Luff scored a goal and goalie Cal Petersen had 32 saves as the pair of Kings rookies helped put Los Angeles up 3-1 after two periods. The Kings lost for the fourth time in their past five games (1-3-1) and are 0-1-1 on their current four-game road trip after losing at Detroit on Monday.
The Sabres' rally began early in the third period. Jack Eichel scored a power-play goal 3:47 into the final period, his 10th of the season.
Less than four minutes later, the Sabres made it 3-3 when Lawrence Pilut sent the puck in front of the Kings goal and Johan Larsson scored when the puck rebounded off his left skate. It was Larsson's second of the season.
Zemgus Girgensons scored a first-period goal for the Sabres, who ended their five-game losing streak (0-3-2). The Sabres turned things around after they held a team meeting following a 6-2 loss to the Philadelphia Flyers on Sunday.
Petersen, a 2013 draft pick by the Sabres who went on to play three seasons at Notre Dame, was making just his ninth start for the Kings and 10th career appearance. He is now 4-5-0 in goal with Los Angeles.
Petersen started ahead of Jonathan Quick, who continues to work his way back after missing 12 games following surgery for a torn meniscus. Quick made 19 saves against the Red Wings on Monday.
Sabres goalie Linus Ullmark, who had 26 saves, made his fourth consecutive start in place of Carter Hutton, who has been out with an upper-body injury but was recovered enough to serve as Ullmark's backup Tuesday.
The Kings jumped out to a 1-0 lead 6:11 into the game on a goal from Muzzin, his second of the season. After Girgensons tied the score, Luff and Adrian Kempe put Los Angeles in front 3-1 in the middle period.
--Field Level Media
Los Angeles | Buffalo | |
Jake Muzzin 2 | Points | Jack Eichel 2 |
Jake Muzzin 1 | Goals | Jack Eichel 1 |
Jake Muzzin 1 | Assists | Rasmus Ristolainen 2 |
N/A | Power Play Goals | Jack Eichel 1 |
N/A | Short Handed Goals | N/A |
Cal Petersen .915 | Save Percentage | Linus Ullmark .897 |
Cal Petersen 43 | Saves | Linus Ullmark 26 |
Team | Shots | Goals | Power Play | Penalty Kill | Penalty Mins | Face Offs Won |
Los Angeles | 29 | 3 | 0-4 | 6-8 | 21 | 33 |
Buffalo | 47 | 4 | 2-8 | 4-4 | 13 | 50 |