BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — Tage Thompson and Jason Zucker scored less than two minutes apart in the second period and the Buffalo Sabres held on to win their sixth game in a row, 3-2 over the Nashville Predators on Saturday.
Josh Doan scored 16 seconds into the third period for a 3-1 lead and Alex Lyon made 23 saves for Buffalo, which played the first of a five-game homestand and has now earned a point in 13 of its last 15 games.
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Nashville Predators left wing Zachary L'heureux (68) celebrates his goal during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the Buffalo Sabres, Saturday, March 7, 2026, in Buffalo, N.Y. (AP Photo/Jeffrey T. Barnes)
Nashville Predators center Jonathan Marchessault (81) is stopped by Buffalo Sabres goaltender Alex Lyon (34) during the second period of an NHL hockey game Saturday, March 7, 2026, in Buffalo, N.Y. (AP Photo/Jeffrey T. Barnes)
Buffalo Sabres goaltender Alex Lyon (34) makes a blocker save during the third period of an NHL hockey game against the Nashville Predators Saturday, March 7, 2026, in Buffalo, N.Y. (AP Photo/Jeffrey T. Barnes)
Buffalo Sabres defenseman Bowen Byram (4) falls in front of Nashville Predators goaltender Juuse Saros (74) during the third period of an NHL hockey game Saturday, March 7, 2026, in Buffalo, N.Y. (AP Photo/Jeffrey T. Barnes)
Buffalo Sabres center Tage Thompson (72) celebrates his goal during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the Nashville Predators, Saturday, March 7, 2026, in Buffalo, N.Y. (AP Photo/Jeffrey T. Barnes)
Thompson extended his point streak to a career-best 10 games (six goals, five assists) with his goal with 7:21 to play in the second period. Zucker made it 2-1 with 5:43 to play in the period.
Zachary L’Heureux scored his first goal of the season to give the Predators a 1-0 lead at 1:17 of the second period and Matthew Wood added a power-play goal with less than four minutes to play to pull Nashville within 3-2. Juuse Saros made 21 saves.
With an assist on L’Heureux's goal, Nashville’s Jonathan Marchessault now has 300 career NHL assists.
The Sabres are now 29-2-0 this season when they have the lead after two periods.
The Predators, coming off a 6-3 win over Boston, have now lost four of their last five games.
The game was Sam Carrick's first in a Buffalo uniform since he was acquired in a trade from the New York Rangers, and he played a critical role in the victory by winning two crucial faceoffs against Ryan O'Reilly in the final minutes.
Predators: Visit the Seattle Kraken on Tuesday night.
Sabres: Host the Tampa Bay Lightning on Sunday night.
AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl
Nashville Predators left wing Zachary L'heureux (68) celebrates his goal during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the Buffalo Sabres, Saturday, March 7, 2026, in Buffalo, N.Y. (AP Photo/Jeffrey T. Barnes)
Nashville Predators center Jonathan Marchessault (81) is stopped by Buffalo Sabres goaltender Alex Lyon (34) during the second period of an NHL hockey game Saturday, March 7, 2026, in Buffalo, N.Y. (AP Photo/Jeffrey T. Barnes)
Buffalo Sabres goaltender Alex Lyon (34) makes a blocker save during the third period of an NHL hockey game against the Nashville Predators Saturday, March 7, 2026, in Buffalo, N.Y. (AP Photo/Jeffrey T. Barnes)
Buffalo Sabres defenseman Bowen Byram (4) falls in front of Nashville Predators goaltender Juuse Saros (74) during the third period of an NHL hockey game Saturday, March 7, 2026, in Buffalo, N.Y. (AP Photo/Jeffrey T. Barnes)
Buffalo Sabres center Tage Thompson (72) celebrates his goal during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the Nashville Predators, Saturday, March 7, 2026, in Buffalo, N.Y. (AP Photo/Jeffrey T. Barnes)
VANCOUVER (AP) — South Africa has joined Fiji atop the World Rugby Sevens Series men's standings after beating Spain 38-12 on Sunday in the final of the Vancouver Sevens.
Player of the Tournament Tristan Leyds provided a series of try assists in the first half which allowed South Africa to take control of the final before halftime. It went on to win its 47th World Series tournament title while Spain remains without a title after three finals appearances.
Jorja Miller inspired New Zealand to a 24-17 win over Australia in the women's final, it's fifth-straight win in Vancouver and it's third win in five tournaments this season.
Australia rallied from 17-5 down just after halftime to level the match at 17-17 but New Zealand secured possession at the restart and Alena Saili scored the match-winning try.
New Zealand leads Australia by six points in the season standings with one tournament remaining in New York before the season finals. Australia and New Zealand have met in all five women's finals this season with New Zealand winning three and Australia two.
Spain reached its first men's final of the season after an outstanding tournament in which it beat New Zealand in pool play and two-time Olympic champion Fiji in the semifinals.
But it struggled against South Africa's physical style in the final. Leyds played a key role with assists which led to tries by Sebastian Jobb and Shilton van Wyk as South Africa led 17-0 by halftime. Ryan Oothuizen opened the scoring for South Africa.
Van Wyk's second try put South Africa in control at 24-0 and after tries for Spain by Jeremy Trevithick and Anton Legorburu Impi, Visser closed out the match for the South Africans.
“It's an amazing feeling,” Visser said. “It's such a privilege to play in finals and pull the jersey over our heads.
“Sometimes we take it for granted but it's really an amazing feeling and we're just really grateful for it. We have to keep on this momentum next week in New York.”
Miller was hugely influential in the women's final, winning turnovers as New Zealand pressured Australia on defense.
Jaymie Kolosi scored New Zealand's first try and Miller scored the second before a try for Australia to Maddison Levi made the score 12-5 at halftime.
Katelyn Vahaakolo scored from a break by Miller, expanding New Zealand's lead to 17-5 in the first minute of the second half.
Australia then began to find gaps in the New Zealand defense through which Levi slipped to score her second try. MacKenzie Davie came off the bench to score the try that leveled the scores.
New Zealand captain Risi Pouri Lane made space for Waaka who set up the winning try for Saili.
“I think when we've got a team that plays for more than just themselves there's always a greater purpose to it,” Pouri Lane said. “Cultural connection is a great part of it and when we work so hard to have a genuine connection off the field it does pay off on the field.”
AP rugby: https://apnews.com/hub/rugby
South Africa's Sebastiaan Jobb (16) tackles Spain's Jeremy Trevithick (6) during a gold medal Vancouver Sevens rugby match, in Vancouver, British Columbia, Sunday, March 8, 2026. (Ethan Cairns/The Canadian Press via AP)
New Zealand's Jorja Miller, left, prepares to pass the ball as she is tackled by Australia's Amahli Hala, back, and Faith Nathan (3) watches during gold medal Vancouver Sevens women's rugby action, in Vancouver, on Sunday, March 8, 2026. (Ethan Cairns/The Canadian Press via AP)
New Zealand's Risi Pouri-Lane (7) leads her teammates in a haka after defeating Australia during gold medal Vancouver Sevens women's rugby action, in Vancouver, on Sunday, March 8, 2026. (Ethan Cairns/The Canadian Press via AP)
South Africa's Gino Cupido (35) runs the ball to score a try against Spain during the gold medal Vancouver Sevens rugby match, in Vancouver, British Columbia, Sunday, March 8, 2026. (Ethan Cairns/The Canadian Press via AP)
New Zealand team, left, and South Africa's team lift the Champion's Cup during the gold medal Vancouver Sevens rugby match, in Vancouver, British Columbia, Sunday, March 8, 2026. (Ethan Cairns/The Canadian Press via AP)
Canada's Charity Williams (6) scores a try against Fiji during Vancouver Sevens women's rugby action, in Vancouver, on Sunday, March 8, 2026. (Ethan Cairns/The Canadian Press via AP)
Spain's Pol Pla, front center, is stopped by Fiji's Sevuloni Mocenacagi, centre, and Douglas Daveta, right, as Spain's Josep Serres (2) watches during Vancouver Sevens semifinal rugby action, in Vancouver, on Sunday, March 8, 2026. (Ethan Cairns/The Canadian Press via AP)
New Zealand's Jorja Miller, left, runs the ball to score a try as USA's Ariana Ramsey, chases during Vancouver Sevens women's semifinal rugby action, in Vancouver, on Sunday, March 8, 2026. (Ethan Cairns/The Canadian Press via AP)
South Africa's Impi Visser (3) runs the ball to score a try against Spain during a gold medal Vancouver Sevens rugby match, in Vancouver, British Columbia, Sunday, March 8, 2026. (Ethan Cairns/The Canadian Press via AP)
