Sabres take advantage of Sharks' home woes, win 4-2

Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen made 33 saves to help the visiting Buffalo Sabres to a 4-2 win against the San Jose Sharks on Saturday.

Jeff Skinner and Alex Tuch each had a goal and an assist for the Sabres, who have won two straight after a four-game losing streak.

Evgeny Svechnikov and Alexander Barabanov scored the Sharks, who have lost 21 of their 26 home games (5-14-7) this season. Kaapo Kahkonen made 27 saves.

Dylan Cozens scored for the third straight game to give Buffalo a 1-0 lead at 3:01 of the first period. Cozens scooped up a San Jose clearing attempt deep in the Sabres' zone and went coast-to-coast up the right side before firing a wrist shot from a sharp angle at the bottom of the left circle.

The Sabres had a chance to double their lead with just under four minutes to go on a 3-on-1 advantage but failed to get a shot off.

Shortly thereafter, Svechnikov tied it 1-1 when he tipped in a point shot by Jacob MacDonald at 16:49.

San Jose outshot Buffalo 14-5 in the first period.

Owen Power put the visitors ahead 2-1 at 6:26 of the second period. Skinner took a pass from Power and passed it toward the slot, with the puck hitting Tuch's stick before reaching the rookie defenseman, who got in alone behind the San Jose defense and cut to the net to slip a backhand five-hole on Kahkonen.

Barabanov capitalized on a fortunate bounce to tie it 2-2 at 11:57. Erik Karlsson walked the blue line and fired a shot that hit the end boards to the left of the net and bounced out to Barabanov down low.

Sabres forward Peyton Krebs was awarded a penalty shot at 1:23 of the third period, but he was denied by Kahkonen.

Skinner made it 3-2 Buffalo at 9:52. Tage Thompson won a battle behind the net and slipped a cross-crease pass over to Skinner on the left side.

Tuch scored into an empty net with 1:01 to play.

--Field Level Media

1/3: Feb 18, 2023; San Jose, California, USA; San Jose Sharks center Steven Lorentz (16) and San Jose Sharks defenseman Mario Ferraro (38) chase after the puck during the first period against Buffalo Sabres center Casey Mittelstadt (37) at SAP Center at San Jose. Mandatory Credit: Stan Szeto-USA TODAY Sports

2/3: Feb 18, 2023; San Jose, California, USA; Buffalo Sabres center Casey Mittelstadt (37) reaches for the puck during the first period against San Jose Sharks defenseman Mario Ferraro (38) at SAP Center at San Jose. Mandatory Credit: Stan Szeto-USA TODAY Sports

3/3: Feb 18, 2023; San Jose, California, USA; San Jose Sharks defenseman Matt Benning (5) and Buffalo Sabres right wing Alex Tuch (89) attempt to gain control of the puck during the first period at SAP Center at San Jose. Mandatory Credit: Stan Szeto-USA TODAY Sports