At the Horn

A newly formed first line led the Buffalo Sabres to a 3-2 comeback win over the Vancouver Canucks on Tuesday at Rogers Arena.

Tage Thompson, Jiri Kulich and JJ Peterka each found the back of the net, with Peterka’s late tally proving to be the game winner. It marked the Sabres’ third win this season when trailing after two periods, and their first since Nov. 23 at San Jose.

Kulich, who tied the game 2-2 in the third period, tallied two assists on offensive-zone faceoff wins and matched a career high with three points. Peterka (1+1) and Rasmus Dahlin (0+2) also enjoyed multi-point nights.

Sabres goaltender Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen made 32 saves on 34 shots for his 15th win of the season.

Phillip Di Giuseppe and Elias Pettersson scored for Vancouver, while Quinn Hughes recorded an assist. Goalie Thatcher Demko stopped 23 of 26 shots.

Buffalo opted for an 11-forward, seven-defenseman lineup for the third time in its last six games; Jason Zucker was scratched due to illness and Nicolas Aube-Kubel was a healthy scratch. Tyson Kozak, recalled Tuesday afternoon from AHL Rochester, entered the lineup and blocked two shots in 16:06 of ice time.

HOW IT HAPPENED

First Period

The Sabres had a great scoring chance three minutes in. Thompson sped into the offensive zone, pumped the brakes at the left circle and fed an open Kulich in the slot, but Demko made the save.

Thompson gave Buffalo a 1-0 lead at 17:34 as he collected Kulich's offensive-zone faceoff win, skated laterally to create a shooting lane and beat Demko from the high slot. The play followed a Canucks icing; Kulich won the draw and went directly to the net to provide a screen.

The Sabres, who've now scored first in seven straight games, were outshot 8-7 despite holding a 19-11 edge in first-period shot attempts.

Tage Thompson gives the Sabres a 1-0 lead

Second Period

Luukkonen denied J.T. Miller alone in front on the first shift of the period.

A fortunate bounce helped Vancouver tie the game at 3:05. Carson Soucy’s shot deflected off the end boards and rebounded back in front to Di Giuseppe, who pushed a backhand past Luukkonen.

Shortly after, a Jack Quinn tripping penalty sent Vancouver to the game’s first power play, but Buffalo killed it off.

An extended offensive-zone shift for the Canucks resulted in Pettersson’s go-ahead goal at 10:29, with both Kulich and Luukkonen missing their sticks. Four of Buffalo’s five skaters had been trapped on the ice for 1:35 or longer.

Peterka drew a Hughes holding call while attempting to launch an odd-man break. Pius Suter hit the post on a shorthanded rush and Buffalo came up empty on its first power play.

Vancouver outshot Buffalo 12-9 in the period and took a 2-1 lead to the intermission.

Third Period

Kulich tied the game 2-2 at 8:42. Peterka notched the primary assist after using his speed to enter the zone, receiving Dahlin’s pass behind the net and feeding Kulich in front for a backhand shot.

Peterka gave the Sabres a 3-2 lead at 13:33 – another goal that directly followed a Vancouver icing and a Kulich faceoff win. Off the draw, Dahlin carried the puck to the left circle and fed Peterka for a one timer from the slot.

Vancouver applied heavy pressure during the late 6-on-5 but Luukkonen stood strong with six saves in the final 90 seconds, including a reaching left-pad stop as time expired.

Jiri Kulich ties the game at 2-2

JJ Peterka gives the Sabres a 3-2 lead

GAME HIGHLIGHTS

FINAL | Sabres 3 - Canucks 2

UP NEXT

The road trip continues Thursday night at the Calgary Flames.

Coverage on MSG begins at 8:30 p.m. with puck drop scheduled for 9.