In a thrilling matchup at the Prudential Center, the Buffalo Sabres continued their impressive run with a 3-1 victory against the New Jersey Devils, marking their sixth consecutive win. This streak is the longest the Sabres have achieved since they also won six games in a row between December 13 and December 31 in 2022.
With this latest triumph, Buffalo has boosted their season record to an encouraging 17 wins, 14 losses, and 4 overtime losses, putting them three games above the .500 mark. They are now just three points shy of the Tampa Bay Lightning, who sit in third place in the competitive Atlantic Division.
Star player Josh Norris was once again in the spotlight; he erased a 1-0 deficit during the second period by scoring his fourth goal in just nine games this season. Since returning from an injury on December 1, Norris has been a key contributor, registering at least one point in seven of his last eight outings. It's noteworthy that the only game where he didn't score or assist was during Saturday's contest against the Islanders, where a potential goal was disallowed during regulation play, although he did clinch the victory in the shootout.
In a highlight-reel moment, Zach Benson executed a clever no-look shot on an odd-man rush, sneaking the puck past the near post to give Buffalo the lead late in the second period. Peyton Krebs then sealed the win by scoring into an empty net for his first goal of the season in the dying moments of the third period.
On the defensive end, goaltender Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen made his first start since December 8 and turned in a solid performance, stopping 26 shots. A standout moment came when he made a remarkable glove save to deny Arseny Gritsyk during a critical 2-on-1 situation while the Sabres were still down 1-0 in the first period.
Looking ahead, Buffalo has one final game scheduled before the holiday break against the Ottawa Senators on Tuesday night. Fans can catch all the action on MSG starting at 6:30 p.m., with the puck drop set for 7:00 p.m.
Scoring Summary:
- BUF 0, NJD 1 | Period 1, 8:51 – Jack Hughes (11) assisted by Dawson Mercer (13) and Colton White (4)
- BUF 1, NJD 1 | Period 2, 2:26 – Josh Norris (4) assisted by Rasmus Dahlin (24) and Owen Power (7) – Norris ties the game
- BUF 2, NJD 1 | Period 2, 16:05 – Zach Benson (3) assisted by Ryan McLeod (13) and Jack Quinn (12) – Benson scores with a no-look shot
- BUF 3, NJD 1 | Period 3, 17:59 (EN) – Peyton Krebs (1) assisted by Tage Thompson (14)
Upcoming Games:
The Sabres will face the Ottawa Senators in their last match before the holiday break at the Canadian Tire Centre on Tuesday.
