Saturday, December 30, 2023 05:00 PM (ET)

Jeff Skinner's OT goal pushes Sabres past Blue Jackets

Field Level Media
Dec 30, 2023

Jeff Skinner scored at 1:20 of overtime to lift the Buffalo Sabres to a 3-2 win against the visiting Columbus Blue Jackets on Saturday evening.

Jack Quinn and Casey Mittelstadt also scored and Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen made 18 saves for the Sabres, who have lost four of five.

Damon Severson and Adam Fantilli scored and Daniil Tarasov made 39 saves for the Blue Jackets, who had lost three of four.

Skinner scored his 15th goal of the season on a one-timer from the slot off a feed from Owen Power, who had two assists.

Severson scored his own rebound with 13 seconds left in the first period after his shot went off the skate of teammate Dmitri Voronkov, giving the Blue Jackets a 1-0 lead.

Buffalo outshot Columbus 12-7 in the first period.

Quinn got to a loose puck in front of the crease and scored 40 seconds into the second period to tie it 1-1.

Columbus moved back ahead 2-1 at 13:45 of the second period.

Cole Sillinger flipped the puck ahead to Justin Danforth to create a 2-on-1 rush. Danforth slid the puck over to Fantilli and the rookie scored his 11th goal of the season.

Mittelstadt scored his 10th goal of the season to tie it 2-2 at 11:52 of the third period.

Columbus turned the puck over coming through the neutral zone and Zach Benson dropped the puck for Mittelstadt, who scored with a wrist shot from the top of the right circle.

Columbus goalie Elvis Merzlikins did not make the trip after leaving the 6-5 win against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Friday with an illness.

Spencer Martin served as the backup.

Columbus defenseman Jake Christiansen was called up from Cleveland of the American Hockey League on Saturday and he had four blocked shots in 21:07 of his season debut.

--Field Level Media

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