Buffalo falls to Anaheim for their 6th loss in last 7 games.
By Heather Engel / NHL.com Independent Correspondent
BUFFALO, N.Y. — The Anaheim Ducks scored three times in the first period before holding off the Buffalo Sabres for a 3-2 win at KeyBank Center on Sunday.
Jakob Silfverberg, Ryan Getzlaf and Nick Ritchie scored for the Ducks (23-26-7), who went 3-0-2 on a five-game road trip. Ryan Miller made 31 saves.
Johan Larsson and Rasmus Dahlin scored, and Jonas Johansson made 25 saves for the Sabres (24-24-8), who are 1-2-1 in their past four games.
Silfverberg connected on a centering pass from Sam Steel on a rush to put Anaheim ahead 1-0 at 6:15 of the first period.
Getzlaf made it 2-0 off with a one-timer from the right circle after receiving a backhand pass from behind the net by Rickard Rakell at 10:45.
Ritchie slipped the puck through Johansson’s legs on a turnaround in front to push the lead to 3-0 at 12:00.
Troy Terry had a chance extend it to 4-0 at 17:52 after he was hooked by Sabres defenseman Lawrence Pilut on a breakaway, but Johansson stopped him on the ensuing penalty shot.
Larsson scored to make it 3-1 at 18:53 when he forced a turnover by Getzlaf in the neutral zone and beat Miller five-hole on a breakaway.
Dahlin cut it to 3-2 at 11:41 of the second when his shot from the blue line made through traffic on a power play.
Up next
The Sabres continue their homestand Tuesday night against the Detroit Red Wings, who ended the Boston Bruins’ 6-game win streak with a 3-1 victory at home Sunday.
*NOTES — The Sabres recalled defenseman Lawrence Pilut from the Rochester Americans on Sunday, and the Amerks reassigned forward Pascal Aquin to the Cinicnnati Cycones of the ECHL…Andrew Hammond was the backup goalie today for Buffalo as Carter Hutton attended to a personal matter.