RECAP: Blackhawks Let Sabres Back in Game, Fall 6-5

The Blackhawks held a four-goal lead on Monday night, but saw the visiting Buffalo Sabres battle back to 4-4 and 5-5 ties in the third period before finding the game-deciding goal with just 10 seconds to play, 6-5 for the visitors.
Five different Blackhawks scored on the night: Calvin de Haan, Sam Lafferty, Jonathan Toews, Seth Jones and Alex DeBrincat. Kevin Lankinen made his third start in the last four games, stopping 31 shots on 37 shots in the loss.

POSTGAME LINKS
GAMECENTER: CHI vs. BUF
ANALYSIS: Blackhawks 'Stopped Playing' When Ahead in Defeat to Buffalo
MEDICAL: T. Johnson Activated Off IR, Dach Out vs. BUF
HIGHLIGHTS: Blackhawks vs. Sabres
GALLERY: Blackhawks vs. Sabres
BLACKHAWK OF THE GAME: DeBrincat pushed his scoring streak to four games with his fourth straight one goal, one assist outing.
STAT OF THE NIGHT: Erik Gustafsson skated in the 300th game of his NHL career, 264 of which have come in a Blackhawks sweater.
UP NEXT: Chicago embarks on a two-game trip to Florida to face the Panthers on Thursday night and the Lightning on Friday.

GAME RECAP

CHI: 1, BUF: 0

1st - 7:53 - Calvin de Haan (Taylor Raddysh, Dominik Kubalik)

Chicago opened the scoring as Calvin de Haan scored his second goal of the season. Off an offensive-zone entry by Jonathan Toews, the captain left the puck for Dominik Kubalik at the top of the circle. Kubalik quickly found Taylor Raddysh in the high slot, who spun and found de Haan skating in on the week side. The defenseman put a one-timer on net past Dustin Tokarski for a 1-0 lead.

CHI: 2, BUF: 0

1st - 13:44 - Sam Lafferty (Jake McCabe, Reese Johnson)

Sam Lafferty doubled the lead minutes later with a start-to-finish play. The forward finished a big hit in the corner on the forecheck and Reese Johnson scooped the loose puck back to the point for Jake McCabe. The defenseman put a shot towards goal that Lafferty, who had driven the slot after his hit, then tipped home in front for a 2-0 score.

CHI: 3, BUF: 0

1st - 16:55 - Jonathan Toews (Philipp Kurashev, Dominik Kubalik) -- PP

The captain made it 3-0 on the game's first power play with a show of skill in career game No. 999. Jonathan Toews brought the puck into the zone, played a quick give-and-go with Philipp Kurashev inside the blue line and then went towards goal with the puck. He pulled a toe drag around Mattias Samuelsson and then tucked a backhander around Dustin Tokarski for the game's third goal.

CHI: 4, BUF: 0

2nd - 1:21 - Seth Jones (Alex DeBrincat, Dylan Strome)

Chicago continued the scoring early in the second as Seth Jones pushed his point streak to six games with his fifth of the season. Dylan Strome fed Alex DeBrincat on an abbreviated 2-on-1 that the winger couldn't handle cleanly for the shot. Instead, DeBrincat spun in the corner and found the late-trailing Jones in the high slot for a quick writer that made it a 4-0 game.

CHI: 4, BUF: 1

2nd - 4:50 - Victor Olofsson (Dylan Cozens, Henri Jokiharju)

The Sabres got on the board at the tail end of their opening power play early in the second. Dylan Cozens caught the Blackhawks' penalty kill on the runaround and sent a cross-ice pass to Victor Olofsson for a one-timer at the top of the circle that eluded the glove of Kevin Lankinen reaching across.

CHI: 4, BUF: 2

2nd - 10:24 - Victor Olofsson (Jeff Skinner)

Victor Olofsson pulled another goal back for Buffalo just past the game's midpoint on a setup in front by Jeff Skinner. From behind the goal line, Skinner found Olofsson in the high slot for a one-timer that found twine for a 4-2 score.

CHI: 4, BUF: 3

2nd - 14:32 - Kyle Okposo (Dylan Cozens)

Buffalo struck again in the second to make it a 4-3 game off a double skate deflection in front. Dylan Cozens threw a puck towards goal from the high slot that hit the skate of Kyle Olposo, then the skate of Erik Gustafsson and just past the outstretched pad of Kevin Lankinen.

CHI: 4, BUF: 4

3rd - 2:39 - Vinnie Hinostroza (Rasmus Dahlin, Tage Thompson)

Former Blackhawk Vinnie Hinostroza completed the comeback early in the third to tie things 4-4. Rasmus Dahlin threw a shot towards the net from the point that Kevin Lankinen turned aside initially with the pad, but Hinostroza got a quick stick on the rebound to slide it between the legs of the Chicago netminder for an even score.

CHI: 5, BUF: 4

3rd - 19:56 - Alex DeBrincat (Patrick Kane, Dylan Strome) -- PP

The Blackhawks power play stopped the Buffalo onslaught midway through the third as Alex DeBrincat scored for the fourth straight game. After moving the puck around the zone on the man advantage, Patrick Kane controlled the puck along the wall on the far side before threading a seam pass to DeBrincat at the near side dot. The winger put a wrister off the back of Dustin Tokarski making his way across the crease, ramping the puck into the net for a 5-4 lead.

CHI: 5, BUF: 5

3rd - 17:46 - Alex Tuch (Victor Olofsson, Casey Middelstasdt)

Buffalo pulled back level again with just over two minutes to play as Victor Olofsson found Alex Tuch wide open at the weak-side post for a one-time tally and a 5-5 score.

CHI: 5, BUF: 6

3rd - 19:49 - Tage Thompson (Rasmus Dahlin, Alex Tuch) -- PP

The Sabres found the late game winner on a broken play -- literally -- on late power play. Tage Thompson lined up a one-timer at the top of the circle but had his stick break in the process. The puck, though, had enough momentum to bounce off the end boards and then deflected off the skate of Kevin Lankinen and into the cage for a 6-5 final.