Golden Knights win in OT, off to best start by expansion team

LAS VEGAS -- David Perron said he didn't think too much about the Vegas Golden Knights blowing a three-goal lead in the final 10 minutes and having to play overtime.
He was just happy to get back on the ice and keep playing.
Perron scored his first two goals of the season, the second with 1:08 left in overtime to give Vegas a 5-4 win against the Buffalo Sabres at T-Mobile Arena on Tuesday.

WATCH: [All Sabres vs. Golden Knights highlights]
"Obviously, you want to win in regulation," Perron said, "but things are going to happen for a team that just got put together. We can get better as a group, and we found a way [tonight]."
The Golden Knights' 5-1-0 start is the best for an NHL expansion team and matches the 1917-18 Montreal Canadiens for the best start to an inaugural season in the League.

Vegas also is the first Western Conference team to reach 10 points.
"The guys are working hard and chipping in," coach Gerard Gallant said. "We've got some good hockey players."
Oscar Lindberg, Reilly Smith and
Alex Tuch
scored for Vegas, and Malcolm Subban made 30 saves in his second start since being claimed off waivers from the Boston Bruins on Oct. 3.

"We're a really hardworking team," said Tuch, who has two goals in two games since being recalled from Chicago of the American Hockey League on Sunday. "It's been really fun to be around [here] and really fun to be a part of this team."
Evander Kane tied it 4-4 with 8.9 seconds left to cap a three-goal rally by the Sabres (1-4-2) in the third period. The goal initially was waved off, but video review determined Kane did not have his stick above the crossbar when he redirected the puck.
"The disappointing part is we didn't play that way for 60 minutes," said Kane, who had two assists. "You can't wait until it's 3-1 or 4-1 to get grittier. It's frustrating because I know we can play like that. We've proven it, we've showed it. You can't take periods off or you can't take shifts off."
Ryan O'Reilly scored two goals for Buffalo, Sam Reinhart had a goal, and Chad Johnson allowed four goals on 30 shots.

O'Reilly gave the Sabres a 1-0 lead with a power-play goal 6:24 into the game, but Lindberg tied it 1-1 at 14:15.
Tuch (6:40) and Smith (18:37, power play) scored in the second period to give the Golden Knights a 3-1 lead, and Perron made it 4-1 at 3:50 of the third.
"I'm just trying to contribute as much as possible for this team," Tuch said. "I've gotten rewarded the past two [games] because of it. We've found success as a team, and that's really the most important thing about it."
O'Reilly started the Sabres rally when he scored on a 5-on-3 advantage with 10 minutes remaining to make it 4-2.
With Johnson pulled for the extra attacker and Buffalo on the power play, Reinhart scored with 1:58 left to get the Sabres to within 4-3.

Goal of the game

Perron gave credit for his overtime goal to James Neal, saying he told Neal to go across the ice, forcing Buffalo defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen to cover Neal as he moved toward the net. That allowed Perron enough room to skate to the top of the slot and beat Johnson.

Save of the game

Subban gloved defenseman Matt Tennyson's one-timer from the top of the left face-off circle with 8:24 remaining in the first period with Buffalo on the power play.

Highlight of the game

Vegas defenseman Luca Sbisa got his stick on Jack Eichel's shot attempt, and Kane batted it out of midair to send the game to overtime.

They said it

"There's little things we can do differently. You're never going to feel great for every game. These road games, when we don't have our legs, it's finding a way to play a little simpler and be positionally better."-- Sabres forward Ryan O'Reilly
"I think [we're] a better team than people expected. I shouldn't say they didn't expect it, because after the Expansion Draft, when I seen the list of our team, I was pretty impressed." -- Golden Knights coach Gerard Gallant

Need to know

Vegas is 2-for-26 on the power play this season after going 1-for-5 on Tuesday. … Sabres forward Kyle Okposo returned after missing the past two games because of an illness. He was held without a point.

What's next

Sabres: Host the Vancouver Canucks on Friday (7 p.m. ET; SN360, MSG-B, NHL.TV)
Golden Knights: Host the St. Louis Blues on Saturday (10:30 p.m. ET; ATTSN-RM, FS-MW, NHL.TV)