Sam Reinhart scored the go-ahead goal early in the third period and also had an assist as the Buffalo Sabres topped the visiting Detroit Red Wings 3-2 on Tuesday night.
Reinhart's 21st goal, a tap-in of a rebound from a Jack Eichel shot, gave Buffalo its first lead of the game 57 seconds into the third. The Sabres, who also got a goal and an assist from Marcus Johansson and 27 saves from Carter Hutton, won for the second time in three games and ended an 0-2-1 home rut.
Darren Helm scored twice for the Red Wings, who have an NHL-low 32 points, but had won two of their previous three games, including 4-3 in a shootout at Buffalo on Feb. 6.
Detroit took the lead just 27 seconds into the game. Hutton never saw where he stopped Anthony Mantha's shot, but Helm pounced on the puck in the crease and pushed it home.
The Sabres were not down long as Conor Sheary tied the score just 36 seconds later when he beat Jonathan Bernier (22 saves) for his eighth goal of the season.
Sheary had a chance to give Buffalo the lead early in the second period, when he was awarded a penalty shot after taking a Filip Hronek slash at 1:32. However, Sheary missed wide on the attempt.
Helm and Mantha hooked up again, this time with 12:58 remaining in the second to make it 2-1. After controlling the puck behind the Sabres' net, Mantha passed into the slot where Helm sent a backhander past Hutton for his eighth of the season.
Buffalo again answered to tie it with 5:01 left in the second. Johansson, who assisted on Sheary's goal, beat Bernier off a nifty drop pass from Rasmus Dahlin.
Detroit forward Brendan Perlini exited after being incidentally kicked in the face with a skate.
Buffalo won the season series 3-0-1 over the Red Wings.
--Field Level Media
Detroit | Buffalo | |
Darren Helm 2 | Points | Marcus Johansson 2 |
Darren Helm 2 | Goals | Marcus Johansson 1 |
Anthony Mantha 2 | Assists | Marcus Johansson 1 |
N/A | Power Play Goals | N/A |
N/A | Short Handed Goals | N/A |
Jonathan Bernier .880 | Save Percentage | Carter Hutton .931 |
Jonathan Bernier 22 | Saves | Carter Hutton 27 |
Team | Shots | Goals | Power Play | Penalty Kill | Penalty Mins | Face Offs Won |
Detroit | 29 | 2 | 0-3 | 3-3 | 6 | 27 |
Buffalo | 25 | 3 | 0-3 | 3-3 | 6 | 22 |