DENVER — Devin Toews netted the game-winning goal just 48 seconds into overtime, leading the Colorado Avalanche to a thrilling comeback victory against the Buffalo Sabres with a final score of 6-5 on Thursday evening. This remarkable win marked the Avalanche’s sixth consecutive victory.

The game presented a challenging start for the Avalanche, as they found themselves in a deep hole, trailing 3-0 during the second period. However, the team rallied together and managed to equalize the score with a dramatic goal from Jonathan Drouin, coming just eight seconds before the end of regulation. This pivotal moment set the stage for Toews, who intercepted the puck and finished with a breakaway shot to secure the win for Colorado.

This game marked the second time this season that the Sabres failed to maintain a multi-goal lead against the Avalanche. Earlier in December, Colorado had staged a comeback from a 4-0 deficit to secure a 5-4 victory at Buffalo.

Cale Makar showcased his skills by scoring twice, while Ross Colton and Mikko Rantanen added to the scoreboard as well. For Buffalo, Jason Zucker had an impressive night, scoring three times. Bowen Byram also managed to find the net against his former team, adding an emotional aspect to the game. A notable incident occurred when Zach Benson scored in the third period after an apparent collision with goaltender Scott Wedgewood, leading to a controversial goal that gave the Sabres a 4-2 lead.

Following this play, Wedgewood was injured and had to be assisted off the ice, prompting a replacement by Mackenzie Blackwood. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen stood tall in goal for the Sabres, racking up 23 saves during the match.

Key takeaways from the game highlighted Byram’s return to Denver, where he was originally drafted as the fourth overall pick in 2019 before being traded to Buffalo last March. The Avalanche also had to adapt their lineup due to Valeri Nichushkin being sidelined with a lower-body injury, which resulted in Rantanen stepping up to play alongside Nathan MacKinnon and Artturi Lehkonen.

A significant moment of controversy arose when the Sabres challenged a goal by MacKinnon in the second period for offsides. The officials reviewed the play and subsequently disallowed the goal.

Statistically, the Avalanche showcased their resilience with a remarkable 12 comeback victories this season.

Looking ahead, both teams will return to action on Saturday, with Colorado set to host Montreal, while Buffalo will be facing off against Vegas.