BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — Tage Thompson scored the go-ahead goal 1:23 into the third period, and Lindy Ruff became the NHL’s second coach to win 600 games with one franchise in the Buffalo Sabres’ 3-2 win over the Ottawa Senators on Tuesday night.
Jack Quinn and Jacob Bernard-Docker also scored for Buffalo, and James Reimer stopped 30 shots in winning two straight starts for the first time this season. Ruff is in the first season of his second stint in Buffalo, and improved his record with the franchise to 600-467-90 with 78 ties.
Ruff trails only Al Arbor, who won 740 games with the New York Islanders.
Brady Tkachuk and David Perron scored power-play goals for the Senators. Anton Forsberg stopped 21 shots in an outing the Senators blew two one-goal leads.
TAKEAWAYS
Senators: Squandered a chance against the Eastern Conference’s last-place team to further secure their bid to end a seven-year playoff drought. Ottawa began the day seventh in the East, and four points ahead of eighth-place Montreal.
Sabres: Continue their role as playoff spoilers two days after a 5-3 win at the Western Conference-leading Winnipeg Jets.
KEY MOMENT
With the game tied 2-2, Zach Benson set up Thompson’s goal by avoiding a check from Fabian Zetterlund and maintaining control of the puck behind Ottawa’s net. He then fed a pass in front to Thompson, who beat Forsberg through the legs.
KEY STAT
Ottawa’s Dylan Cozens assisted on Tkachuk’s opening goal, registering a point in eight of nine games (three goals, five assists) since the Senators acquired him in a trade with Buffalo.
UP NEXT
Senators: Visit the Detroit Red Wings on Thursday.
Sabres: Host the Pittsburgh Penguins on Thursday.
___
AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl
John Wawrow, The Associated Press
