Sabres score two early goals, finish off Flames in shootout

Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen made 24 saves and stopped all three attempts in the shootout to help the Buffalo Sabres to a 3-2 win against the visiting Calgary Flames on Saturday afternoon.

Zach Benson and Tage Thompson scored first-period goals for the Sabres, who have won three in a row for the second time this season.

Matt Coronato and Mikael Backlund scored goals, MacKenzie Weegar had two assists and Dan Vladar made 17 saves for the Flames, who have lost seven of nine (2-5-2).

The Sabres took an early lead after Jacob Bryson's shot from the right point hit the skate of Calgary defenseman Kevin Bahl, redirecting the puck into the slot. Benson was there to backhand the puck into the net for a 1-0 lead at 1:11, his second straight game with a goal.

Buffalo went on the first power play of the game when Martin Pospisil flipped the puck over the glass for a delay-of-game penalty. Thompson scored on the ensuing power play with a one-timer from the left circle to make it 2-0 at 13:37.

It was the 10th goal of the season for Thompson and the 139th of his Buffalo career, tying him with Jack Eichel for 20th on the all-time list.

Rasmus Dahlin earned his 235th career assist on the play to pass Alexei Zhitnik for the third-most assists by a defenseman in Sabres history.

The Flames, who have been outscored 17-8 in the first period this season, cut it to 2-1 at 17:44 of the second period.

Blake Coleman intercepted an outlet pass in the neutral zone, skated into the Buffalo zone and dropped the puck for Weegar, who carried it into the high slot before taking a shot that was redirected into the net by Coronato for his fifth goal of the season.

The Flames tied it 2-2 at 15:42 of the third.

Weegar retrieved a blocked shot below the goal line and made a backhand pass out to Backlund in the left circle and he scored with a one-timer, helping the Flames reach overtime for a third straight game.

--Field Level Media