Game Recap: Sabres 3 Wild 2

ST. PAUL, Minn. -- The Buffalo Sabres came from behind to end the Minnesota Wild’s seven-game winning streak with a 3-2 shootout victory at Grand Casino Arena on Saturday.

Beck Malenstyn and Josh Doan scored for the Sabres (10-11-4), who had lost two straight, including 5-0 to the New Jersey Devils on Friday. Colten Ellis made 22 saves, and Tage Thompson, Jack Quinn and Noah Ostlund scored in the four-round shootout.

“I thought we played well,” Buffalo coach Lindy Ruff said. “Made a big mistake on both our goals but recovered. … I thought it was a night where on the road, against a good team, a team that was on a roll, we played the game the right way all night. We got rewarded for our break. We had a lot of good opportunities that didn’t go in, but by playing the game the right way we finally caught a break.”

Kirill Kaprizov and Matt Boldy scored, and Filip Gustavsson made 30 saves for the Wild (14-7-5), who extended their point streak to 11 games (9-0-2). They were coming off a 3-2 shootout win against the Colorado Avalanche on Friday.

“We weren't as sharp in the second and third period,” Minnesota coach John Hynes said. “… We came out [in] the first period, we had sustained pressure. And other than a couple of rush plays and the power play, we didn't really sustain a lot. And I think that then they got into the game a little bit more. So, something that we talked about in between periods, but [the] second and third weren’t as good as they needed to be to win the game.”

Doan tied it 2-2 at 6:01 of the third period. After Wild defenseman Jonas Brodin fell down in the neutral zone, Doan’s wrist shot from the left face-off circle caromed off the glass behind the net and deflected in off Minnesota forward Mats Zuccarello at the right post.

“Yeah, I think that’s a whole tale of unfortunate events for them the whole way down the ice,” Doan said. “But the way that we’ve been playing, and you look at the last game with [42] shots on goal and 20 shots blocked (by the Devils) and I don’t know how many attempts, and you didn’t get one (goal). So, when you see one going like that, you kind of feel a little bit of relief from pucks not going in. They’re starting to go in again.”

Kaprizov put Minnesota ahead 1-0 at 9:37 of the first period with a one-timer from low in the right circle off a cross-ice pass from Zuccarello. Kaprizov has six goals in a five-game goal streak and nine points (seven goals, two assists) in a seven-game point streak.

Malenstyn tied it 1-1 at 12:42, deflecting in the rebound of a Peyton Krebs shot.

Boldy put the Wild back on top 2-1 at 14:05. He stole the puck from Alex Tuch near the right boards on the forecheck, drove to the net and scored through the five-hole.

“There's no excuse,” Zuccarello said. “We came out good and played some good hockey, and then you’ve got to give them credit. They came out hard, and we had tough time getting out of our zone and they got some pressure there. But I think we defended well, and obviously, it was an unlucky goal when I put it in the net. But when you’re not at your best, you’re going to lose in this league. Every team is a good team. But it wasn't our best today, and we got a point, and we’ve got to move on.”

NOTES: Zuccarello had an assist for his 700th NHL point, becoming the first Norwegian player to reach the milestone. He also became the third undrafted player to debut in the past 30 years to hit the mark, joining Martin St. Louis (1,033) and Artemi Panarin (896). Zuccarello has 218 goals and 482 assists in 915 games. … Wild forward Vladimir Tarasenko had two shots on goal in 12:40 of ice time after missing the previous seven games with a lower-body injury.