BUFFALO, N.Y. – In an exhilarating match on Tuesday evening, Henri Jokiharju netted a pivotal goal 9:31 into the third period, granting the Buffalo Sabres a thrilling 3-2 victory over the Anaheim Ducks.
JJ Peterka and Alex Tuch were also key contributors, each scoring goals, with Dylan Cozens delivering three assists for Buffalo. Sabres’ goaltender Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen was instrumental, registering 16 saves as the team secured a win in six of their last seven encounters.
The Ducks opened the match favorably, with power-play goals from Mason McTavish and Leo Carlsson. Despite Lukas Dostal’s formidable effort, making 32 saves, Anaheim’s five-game point streak came to an end.
Initially trailing 2-0 at the conclusion of two periods, Buffalo began their comeback when Peterka scored merely 1:56 into the third period with a powerful one-timer, reducing the deficit to 2-1. Alex Tuch leveled the game at 5:34 by banking a shot off Dostal.
Jokiharju, coming off a stellar performance for Finland in the 4 Nations Face-Off, scored his second goal across two games, completing the Sabres’ formidable comeback.
Significantly, Buffalo’s ability to rally for a win after a two-period deficit was their fourth such instance this season and drew them closer to Pittsburgh, narrowing the Eastern Conference standings gap to just two points.
On the other hand, the Ducks, playing without Trevor Zegras due to a three-game suspension and goalie John Gibson sidelined with an upper-body injury, couldn’t build on their initial power-play successes, marking the first instance since November 15 they scored twice in a single game—but to no avail.
A key moment came when Jokiharju’s decisive strike from a tight angle defeated Dostal high over his shoulder at 9:31 in the last period, securing a crucial lead for Buffalo.
The multi-goal comeback for the Sabres marks their first of the season and their first against Anaheim.
Looking ahead, the Buffalo Sabres are set to face the Carolina Hurricanes on Thursday night, while the Anaheim Ducks are scheduled to host the Vancouver Canucks the same evening.
