BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) \u2014 Jason Zucker tipped in Bowen Byram\u2019s shot for the go-ahead goal 7:38 into the second period, and the Buffalo Sabres beat the Tampa Bay Lightning 4-2 on Monday night, further tightening the race for the Atlantic Division title.<\/p>\n
Jack Quinn, with an assist from goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, sealed the win by scoring into an empty net with 1:54 left. Josh Norris and Alex Tuch also scored. Buffalo snapped a minor 2-3-2 slump to tie the Lightning atop the division with 102 points, and two ahead of idle Montreal entering the final 10 days of the season.<\/p>\n
Luukkonen stopped 23 shots to improve to 10-2-1 in his past 14 appearances and strengthen his hold on the starting job.<\/p>\n
Jake Guentzel, with a goal and assist, and Nikita Kucherov also scored, and the Lightning lost in regulation for just the third time in 14 games (9-3-2). Kucherov became the NHL\u2019s eighth Russian-born and second Lightning player to score 400 goals, and also tied Connor McDavid for the points lead with 126.<\/p>\n
Andrei Vasilevskiy made 25 saves in falling to 7-2-1 in his past 10 outings.<\/p>\n
The Sabres never trailed and were greeted by a standing ovation upon returning home since clinching\u00a0their first playoff berth in 15 seasons on Saturday<\/a>.<\/p>\n Darren Raddysh prevented a Sabres clearing attempt to set up Guentzel\u2019s goal to tie the game at 2 at the 3:56 mark of the second period. Zucker scored less than four minutes later by deflecting in Byram\u2019s shot from the blue line.<\/p>\n