At the Horn | Sabres 3 - Senators 2

Jacob Bernard-Docker scored the tying goal against his former team and coach Lindy Ruff hit a rare milestone in the Buffalo Sabres’ 3-2 win over the Ottawa Senators at KeyBank Center on Tuesday.

The victory was Ruff’s 600th as coach of the Sabres, making him just the second coach in NHL history to hit the milestone with one franchise. The other was Al Arbour, who won 740 games with the New York Islanders.

Bernard-Docker, acquired from the Senators alongside forward Josh Norris ahead of the trade deadline on March 7, was playing his third game as a member of the Sabres and his first at home. His second-period goal was his third point in that timeframe, having previously notched a pair of assists in Winnipeg on Sunday.

Jack Quinn and Tage Thompson also scored goals for Buffalo. The latter broke a 2-2 tie 1:23 into the third period.

James Reimer made 30 saves and earned his second straight win in goal.

Brady Tkachuk and David Perron scored goals for the Senators while Anton Forsberg made 21 saves. The Sabres improved to 3-0-0 against the Senators this season with a final matchup scheduled for April 1.

HOW IT HAPPENED

First Period

Tkachuk opened the scoring with a power-play goal just 1:35 into the contest, burying a one-timer at the back door off a no-look feed through the crease from Drake Batherson.

Quinn and Peterka appeared to connect on the tying goal midway through the period, when the former sent a saucer pass through traffic to send the latter in alone on goal. Peterka buried his wrist shot but was ruled offside following a challenge by Ottawa.

There would be no overturning the second Quinn-Peterka connection, which tied the game at 1-1 with 1:29 left in the period. This time, Peterka delivered a spinning feed from the right faceoff dot to set up a Quinn one-timer at the opposite side of the net.

The assist was Peterka’s fourth point in as many games since returning from a lower-body injury. He entered Tuesday having scored goals in three straight contests.

Buffalo finished the period with an 11-10 lead in shots after trailing 10-2 with less than seven minutes to play.

The Sabres welcomed back former forward Dylan Cozens and defenseman Dennis Gilbert, dealt to Ottawa in the trade for Norris and Bernard-Docker, with a video that aired early in the period. Watch it below.

Second Period

A second power-play goal, this time scored by David Perron off a loose puck near the net, put the Senators back in front at 7:39.

Bernard-Docker tied the game at 2-2 with 7:01 remaining, burying a shot from atop the right faceoff circle. Tyson Kozak set up the play from down low for his first NHL assist and second point in the last two games, having previously scored a goal on Sunday in Winnipeg.

Third Period

Zach Benson was stopped by Forsberg from point-blank range early in the period but went on to outbattle Fabian Zetterlund behind the net on the very same shift to set up Thompson’s go-ahead goal.

Reimer made 13 saves in the period, including multiple attempts from Tkachuk to jam in loose pucks from the blue paint.

POSTGAME SOUND

GAME HIGHLIGHTS

GAME PHOTOS

Up next

The Sabres host the Pittsburgh Penguins on Thursday. Coverage on MSG begins at 6:30 p.m. with puck drop scheduled for 7.