Defensive-zone breakdowns cost the Carolina Hurricanes in a 4-1 road loss to a Buffalo Sabres team near the bottom of the Atlantic Division.

The Canes (14-6-2) surrendered three unanswered goals and were unable to knock the Sabres (9-9-4) off their game. After giving the home team an early power-play goal and a wide-open net multiple times, Carolina will look to regroup and change the tone for its upcoming home stretch.

Winger Jack Quinn positioned himself right in front of the goaltender just under four minutes into the second period, waiting for a pass from center Ryan McLeod, who put it right on his stick, chipping it up over the goaltender’s shoulder for a goal. The score would prove to be the game winner.

McLeod, tallying two points, also played a part in the opening goal. Taking advantage of defenseman Alexander Nikishin being in the box, Buffalo dragged out the Canes’ defense to create a wide-open shot opportunity. With the rest of his linemates not dropping back in time, defenseman K’Andre Miller left winger Alex Tuch wide open at the top of the paint. McLeod placed the puck right on his stick for a wrist shot into the back of the net.

The Canes also capitalized on the power play, scoring their only goal late in the first. Defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere scooped up the scraps and scored an unassisted goal from the circle, keeping his team from getting shut out.

Even though Carolina topped Buffalo in shots on goal and faceoff percentage, they couldn’t find a way to get the puck past netminder Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen. Stopping a total of 29 shots and recording a .967 save percentage, Luukkonen kept his team in the game.

Doubling the lead for his team and scoring a highlight-reel goal, winger Beck Malenstyn skated the puck around center Sebastian Aho, leaving him in the dust and creating a 1-on-1 opportunity with goaltender Frederick Andersen. With the assist, center Peyton Krebs also tallied his 100th career NHL point.

https://x.com/BuffaloSabres/status/1992683262997917932?s=20

Desperate to do whatever they could to stay in the game, Andersen headed to the bench to bring on an extra skater. Fortunately for Buffalo, this was the opening they needed to get the puck to center Tage Thompson for the empty-net goal and extend his point streak to six games.

The Hurricanes will head back to Raleigh and suit up against the New York Rangers on Wednesday, Nov. 26, with a 7 p.m. puck drop.