Jack Eichel opened up the scoring with a power play goal and added an assist as the Sabres beat the Lightning for the first time in four contests this year, 4-1.
Eichel took the pass from Cody Franson just six minutes into the game and wristed a bullet passed a stick-less Andrei Vasilevskiy. Eichel returned the favor in the 2nd period as he fed Franson on the right wing for the Sabres second goal of the night.
Steven Stamkos scored the lone goal for the Lightning, who have had trouble scoring lately. Tampa Bay has only scored 12 goals in their past 9 games, going 2-7 over the stretch. Stamkos had his eighth goal of the season off the pass from Nikita Kucherov, beating Chad Johnson who had no chance on the quick shot.
Johnson made the save of the game, week and maybe year on Kucherov in the 2nd to keep the score 2-1. Alex Killorn took the puck behind the net and shoveled it to Kucherov who had nothing but an empty net in front of him. Johnson sprawled back in front of the net and got the glove on the shot. Johnson finished with 30 saves.
Marcus Foligno scored his first goal of the year in the 3rd period on a weak wrister that Vasilevskiy couldn’t get a hold of. It went off his glove and trickled into the net behind him.
Rasmus Ristolainen found the empty net late in the 3rd to finish out the scoring for Buffalo.
Buffalo continues the Florida road trip against the Panthers Thursday night at 7:30 PM.