Kyle Okposo scores the power-play game-winner for Buffalo to beat the Red Wings, 3-2.
By Joe Yerdon / NHL.com Correspondent
BUFFALO, N.Y. — Kyle Okposo scored a power-play goal with 26 seconds left in overtime to give the Buffalo Sabres a 3-2 win against the Detroit Red Wings at KeyBank Center on Friday night.
Okposo scored his 14th goal of the season when he received a pass from Ryan O’Reilly in front of the net and put a backhand past goalie Petr Mrazek to give the Sabres their fourth straight win at home.
The Red Wings had a power play that expired 12 seconds before the Sabres’ began.
Buffalo (18-18-9) has won two of the past three games. Detroit (20-19-7) had a three-game winning streak end.
Darren Helm gave the Red Wings a 2-1 lead with 6:21 left in the third period with his fifth goal. Helm picked up a rebound of a shot by Justin Abdelkader and put it past goalie Anders Nilsson.
Helm played for the first time since Nov. 15, when he sustained a shoulder injury and missed 28 games. It was his first goal since Oct. 21.
O’Reilly tied it 2-2 with 4:09 left with his ninth goal of the season; he circled the net and beat Mrazek high with a backhand.
Frans Nielsen gave the Red Wings a 1-0 lead with a power-play goal 9:02 into the first period. He received a pass from Mike Green and shot from the slot for his 10th goal of the season.
Sam Reinhart made it 1-1 with a power-play goal 5:06 into the second period. Jack Eichel took a shot from the right faceoff circle that was blocked, and the puck deflected off Reinhart past goalie Petr Mrazek for his 10th goal.
The original call by the referee closest to the net was no goal, but after the four on-ice officials huddled, the call on the ice was changed to goal.
Sabres defenseman Jake McCabe left the game in the first period with a shoulder injury.