JJ Peterka had two goals and an assist for the Buffalo Sabres, who scored four unanswered goals in a 5–3 win against the host Los Angeles Kings on Wednesday, Jan.24.
Jack Quinn had a goal and two assists and Dylan Cozens had a goal and an assist for the Sabres, who are 6–4–0 in their last 10 games. Devon Levi made 38 saves.
Adrian Kempe had a goal and an assist, and Cam Talbot made 32 saves for the Kings, who are 2–7–5 in their past 14 games.
Anze Kopitar gave Los Angeles a 1–0 lead at 2:55 of the first period when he tipped in Kempe’s pass over Levi’s blocker as he drove to the net on the rush.
Peterka tied it 1–1 at 5:01. Talbot stopped Cozens’ one-timer from the slot off the rush on a feed from Peterka and the rebound bounced to Peterka by the goal line, where he quickly lifted it into the top of the net.
The Kings regained the lead 23 seconds later.
Kempe received a pass from Drew Doughty high in the zone and took it inside the left circle before firing a wrist shot that beat Levi high to put Los Angeles ahead 2–1.
Pierre-Luc Dubois connected on the power play to make it 3–1 at 9:44, scoring glove side from the top of the slot.
Peterka pulled the Sabres to within one at 8:22 of the second period.
Quinn blocked a shot inside the Buffalo line and dived to get the puck up to Peterka for a breakaway, beating Talbot stick side.
Quinn tied it 3-3 at 10:30 when he took a drop pass from Casey Mittelstadt to the slot before using Kings defenseman Vladislav Gavrikov as a screen and sending a snap shot under the crossbar.
Alex Tuch put the Sabres in front 4–3 at 5:49 of the third period when Eric Robinson sent a pass from behind the net to Tuch, who lifted it over Talbot.
Cozens scored from the high slot at 8:54 for a 5–3 Buffalo lead.
Sabres forward Zemgus Girgensons left the game early in the first period with an upper-body injury and did not return.
