Michael McLeod and Miles Wood each scored two goals to lead the New Jersey Devils over the Buffalo Sabres 5-3 on Sunday.
Wood assisted on McLeod’s go-ahead goal midway through the third period. Andreas Johnsson also scored for the Devils, who avenged a shootout loss on Saturday in the second game of a back-to-back set.
Eric Comrie made 30 saves in his first start for the Devils.
New Jersey Devils goalie Eric Comrie (1) makes a save during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the Buffalo Sabres, Sunday, Jan. 31, 2021, in Buffalo, N.Y. (AP PhotoJeffrey T. Barnes)
Rasmus Ristolainen had a goal and assist for the Sabres, who had a 3-0-2 streak snapped. Buffalo also got goals from Rasmus Dahlin and Curtis Lazar, while Jack Eichel and Victor Olofsson each had two assists. Carter Hutton stopped 32 of 36 shots.
McLeod put the Devils ahead for good with his second goal at 10:40 of the third period. He chipped the puck in from close range after Hutton couldn’t control the rebound from Wood’s shot.
Wood scored into an empty net in the closing seconds.
Buffalo Sabres forward Curtis Lazar (27) is checked by New Jersey Devils defenseman Matt Tennyson (7) during the second period of an NHL hockey game, Sunday, Jan. 31, 2021, in Buffalo, N.Y. (AP PhotoJeffrey T. Barnes)
Ristolainen beat Comrie on a second effort from the edge of the crease to give Buffalo a tying goal on a power play early in the third period.
Wood put the Devils ahead 3-2 when he scored on a breakaway in the last second of the second period. Janne Kuokkanen created the scoring chance when he dove at the blue line and poked the puck away from Buffalo’s Colin Miller. Wood gloved the puck and knocked in the rebound after Hutton stopped his initial shot from the right slot.
The Sabres scored twice in a 1:12 span late in the second period to tie the game at 2. Lazar redirected Ristolainen’s slap shot from near the right wall into the net, and Dahlin scored his first of the season on a power-play shot from the point.
Buffalo Sabres forward Jack Eichel (9) controls the puck during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the New Jersey Devils, Sunday, Jan. 31, 2021, in Buffalo, N.Y. (AP PhotoJeffrey T. Barnes)
The Devils had goals in the first and last minute of the opening period to take a 2-0 lead.
P.K. Suban’s stretch pass set up McLeod on a partial breakaway 20 seconds into the game.
New Jersey’s second goal bounced in off Johnsson’s body during a scrum in front of the net with 17 seconds left in the period. Jesper Bratt’s shot from the point caromed off Hutton’s shoulder and the stick of Buffalo’s Casey Mittelstadt before touching Johnsson.
CORRECTS TO ANDREAS JOHNSSON INSTEAD OF WILL BUTCHER - New Jersey Devils forward Andreas Johnsson (11) is tripped during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the Buffalo Sabres, Sunday, Jan. 31, 2021, in Buffalo, N.Y. (AP PhotoJeffrey T. Barnes)
SCRATCHES
Devils: RW Kyle Palmieri entered the league’s COVID-19 protocol on Sunday, the team announced, joining fellow assistant captain Travis Zajac, who entered the protocol on Friday and did not make the trip to Buffalo. … LW Mikhail Maltsey made his NHL debut after being called up from the taxi squad along with C Jesper Boqvist. … R Nicholas Merkley was assigned to the taxi squad.
Sabres: RW Sam Reinhart missed his second game with an upper-body injury and is day-to-day. … LW Casey Mittelstadt was called up from the taxi squad and replaced RW Tage Thompson in the lineup. … D Henri Jokiharju was scratched in favor of D Matt Irwin.
UP NEXT
Devils: At Pittsburgh on Tuesday and Thursday.
Sabres: At New York Islanders on Tuesday and Thursday.
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