National Hockey League
Nashville 2, Buffalo 1
When: 7:00 PM ET, Sunday, December 3, 2023
Where: KeyBank Center, Buffalo, New York
Referees: Garrett Rank, Corey Syvret
Linesmen: Steve Barton, Jonathan Deschamps
Attendance: 14644

Juuse Saros made 34 saves and the visiting Nashville Predators defeated the Buffalo Sabres 2-1 on Sunday night.

Filip Forsberg and Yakov Trenin scored for the Predators, who had lost two straight games after winning six in a row. Saros made 12 saves in the third period as Nashville protected its 2-1 lead.

Victor Olofsson scored for the Sabres, who have lost three straight games to match their longest losing streak of the season. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen made 27 saves.

Both teams were playing the second game of back-to-backs.

Nashville went 0-for-1 on the power play. Buffalo did not have a power play, but Olofsson's goal came on a penalty shot.

Forsberg gave the Predators a 1-0 lead at 9:40 of the first period. He got to the puck in the left circle immediately after Nashville won a faceoff and fired a wrist shot that deflected in off the post for his 13th goal of the season.

Trenin increased the lead to 2-0 a little over a minute later when he redirected Colton Sissons' shot past Luukkonen at 10:54 after the Sabres turned the puck over in their own end.

Olofsson got the Sabres within 2-1 at 10:02 of the second period. After Jeremy Lauzon tripped him during a breakaway, Olofsson was awarded a penalty shot and beat Saros. It was Olofsson's second career penalty-shot goal.

With just under 13 minutes remaining in the third period, Dylan Cozens was robbed by Saros, who made a pad save on a point-blank shot in front of the net.

Forsberg had a breakaway attempt midway through the third period but wasn't able to get a backhand shot on net.

Sabres forward Alex Tuch left the game midway through the third period with an apparent injury.

The Sabres pulled Luukkonen for an extra attacker with over two minutes remaining but could not get the equalizer.

--Field Level Media

Top Game Performances
 
Nashville   Buffalo
Filip Forsberg 1 Points Victor Olofsson 1
Filip Forsberg 1 Goals Victor Olofsson 1
Colton Sissons 1 Assists Victor Olofsson 0
N/A Power Play Goals N/A
N/A Short Handed Goals N/A
Juuse Saros .971 Save Percentage Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen .931
Juuse Saros 34 Saves Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen 27
Team Stats Summary
 
Team Shots Goals Power Play Penalty Kill Penalty Mins Face Offs Won
Nashville 29 2 0-1 0-0 2 32
Buffalo 35 1 0-0 1-1 4 22
Upcoming Games
  • Buffalo will play their next game at home against Detroit. The Sabres have a W/L % of .100 after a win and .600 after a loss.
  • Nashville will play their next game on the road against Chicago. The Predators have a W/L % of .545 after a win and .462 after a loss.