The Buffalo Sabres finally got a road victory without working overtime.
They’ll try for two straight when they wrap up a six-game trip Sunday in Seattle.
The Sabres posted a 3-2 victory in Vancouver on Thursday as Tage Thompson and Rasmus Dahlin each had a goal and an assist and goaltender Alex Lyon made 30 saves. It was the first time the Sabres won in regulation away from home since April 1.
“I feel like we’re understanding road games better now,” said Dahlin, who extended his point streak to four games (two goals, six assists). “We’re keeping it simple, taking advantage of special teams and then (heck) of a goalie (Thursday), so a lot of good things.”
After opening their trip with three straight losses, it appeared the Sabres were on their way to another when they allowed the tying goal with two seconds remaining in regulation Tuesday at Edmonton.
But Alex Tuch scored 33 seconds into the extra session to give Buffalo a 4-3 victory.
They carried that momentum with them to Vancouver, though Tuch was a late scratch because of an illness. The Sabres also were without Josh Norris for a second straight game because of injury, leaving them without a pair of top-six forwards.
“That shows a lot of character,” Dahlin said. “Some guys are out of the lineup too and I’m very proud of the boys. Some guys from (Rochester of the American Hockey League) have been coming in and playing unbelievable, too, so (heck) of a team effort. We’re taking steps.”
Lyon made his first start since Nov. 28, though he picked up the win Tuesday after replacing an injured Colten Ellis (concussion) late in the first period.
“I kind of had a little bit of a rhythm and you kind of have a baseline on what you want to do, and how you want to be when you get in the net,” Lyon said. “The first period was a grind for me and the guys did a great job of keeping them limited. We played a really sharp first period, and we played a great second period, and then we just found a way to win at the end.”
Seattle suffered a 5-3 defeat at Utah on Friday night, its seventh in the past eight games (1-6-1).
The Kraken were also short-handed up front, with forwards Jared McCann, Jaden Schwartz and Berkly Catton all out. McCann is the franchise’s career scoring leader and Schwartz led the team this season.
Mason Marchment tallied twice for Seattle, doubling his season total.
“(We were) getting some shots through from the point,” Marchment said. “There were a handful of shifts there where we kind of had them hemmed in and got a bunch of good looks. And we’re getting pucks to the net and diving through seams, and that’s how you score goals in this league. I thought we did a good job at that.”
The Kraken failed to score on a two-man advantage early in the third and on another power play later in the period.
“That power play in the third period was the difference,” Seattle coach Lane Lambert said. “We had a lot of chances again. … For the most part, I thought our guys were good.”
