The Buffalo Sabres halted Minnesota’s seven-game win streak on Saturday night, earning a 3-2 shootout victory behind a clutch finish from Noah Ostlund at Xcel Energy Center. Ostlund sealed the win in the fourth round of the shootout, lifting a shot over Filip Gustavsson to give Buffalo its second victory in three games.
Beck Malenstyn and Josh Doan supplied the Sabres’ scoring in regulation, while Colten Ellis turned aside 22 shots in another steady performance from the rookie goaltender.
Buffalo twice battled back against a Wild team that entered the night as one of the NHL’s hottest. After Kirill Kaprizov opened the scoring for Minnesota, Malenstyn responded late in the first period by deflecting a point shot to pull the Sabres even. The Wild regained the lead before intermission on a breakaway finish from Matt Boldy.
Doan produced the equalizer early in the third with an unusual bounce engineered by hard work and a little luck. His initial shot caromed high off Gustavsson and the end glass, then ricocheted back toward the crease. Minnesota’s Mats Zuccarello attempted to swat the puck away but accidentally knocked it into his own net, tying the game 2-2.
Both teams converted twice in the first three rounds of the shootout before Ellis forced a miss from Vladimir Tarasenko, setting the stage for Ostlund’s winner.
The Sabres (10-11-4) return home Monday to face the Winnipeg Jets, with puck drop set for 7:30 p.m.
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Kyle leads sports coverage and hosts the Concrete Jungle podcast. Have a lead or question? Send it to [email protected].