BUFFALO, N.Y. -- Ryan O'Reilly has been wanting to contribute more as the Buffalo Sabres search for a level of consistency. He more than delivered on Friday night.

O'Reilly scored the tying goal with 4:09 left in regulation and set up Kyle Okposo's game-winner in overtime, leading the Sabres to a 3-2 comeback win over the Detroit Red Wings.

"I've got to be one of the key guys that has to be a leader on the stat sheet," O'Reilly said. "In the room, I've got to be a voice and if we want to get back and get into the playoffs, which is possible, it's going to be tough but I've got to start with myself."

Sam Reinhart also scored for the Sabres (18-18-9). Anders Nilsson made 32 saves.

After falling behind with 6:22 remaining, O'Reilly took the game into his own hands on a spectacular one-man effort.

O'Reilly battled with Detroit defenseman Danny DeKeyser after charging into the zone, using his left hand to push Dekeyser aside and gain the puck behind the Detroit net. He then curled around front and placed a backhand shot high to the far side for his ninth goal of the year.

"It was a big-time play from our guy wanting to be a leader on this team and he just willed that goal in," Sabres head coach Dan Bylsma said. "That's the best I can say. He willed that goal in the back of the net."

The game-winner came on the power play in overtime with Frans Nielsen in the penalty box for hooking. After receiving the puck in the right circle, O'Reilly spotted Okposo by himself at the top of the crease. Okposo collected the puck and placed a quick backhand shot home for his team-best 14th goal of the year.

"He's a game-breaking player," Okposo said of O'Reilly. "He can do that, though. He can change the game like that with his smarts, his skill."

Nielsen and Darren Helm scored for the Red Wings (20-20-6), who saw a three-game win streak come to an end. Petr Mrazek was terrific in net and made 34 saves.



"To go up late and then watch it kind of disappear in the last five minutes of the game and not be able to come back in overtime, it (stunk)," Helm said. "We've got to do obviously a better job of closing those games out."

Nielsen opened the scoring with a power-play goal 9:08 into the game. Nielsen grabbed a bouncing puck from inside the left circle and placed a quick one-timer for his 10th goal of the year.

The Red Wings entered the game with the league's worst power play (11.2 percent success).

Reinhart evened the score 5:06 into the second period with a power-play goal of his own. After grabbing a rebound at the top of the crease, Reinhart kicked the puck to himself before putting home his 10th goal of the year.

Helm gave Detroit a 2-1 lead with 6:22 remaining. Playing for the first time since Nov. 15 after missing 28 games with a shoulder injury, Helm took control of a loose puck in the slot and unleashed a hard wrist shot to the glove side.

Detroit had the upper hand for most of overtime with plenty of possession in the Sabres zone before faltering late following Nielsen's penalty.

"We were in a position to win in two different facets, one obviously a lead late in the game and two, a power play in overtime," Detroit head coach Jeff Blashill said. "We've got to find a way to win."

One blow for the Sabres came early when defenseman Jake McCabe left with a right arm injury. He attempted to return before heading to the locker room for good. McCabe was spotted leaving the arena with a sling on his right arm.

"He's going to get looked at here tomorrow and evaluate where we're at," Bylsma said. "It is an injury he's had in the past."

NOTES: D Josh Gorges and LW Nicolas Deslauriers were scratched for the Sabres. Gorges has missed the last seven games with a hip injury. ... LW Drew Miller, RW Tomas Jurco and D Ryan Sproul were scratched for the Red Wings. ... Before the game, the Sabres sent G Linus Ullmark back to Rochester of the American Hockey League. Ullmark had been promoted one day earlier. ... This was the third of four meetings between the two teams this season. Their fourth and final meeting takes place on March 20 in Detroit. ... Detroit is hoping that D Niklas Kronwall (groin) can return Sunday, according to head coach Jeff Blashill.