Rasmus Ristolainen scores the game-winner for Buffalo, his first goal since last April.
By Dan Rosen / NHL.com Senior Writer
NEWARK, N.J. — Rasmus Ristolainen scored his first goal of the season 2:37 into overtime to give the Buffalo Sabres a 4-3 come-from-behind win against the New Jersey Devils at Prudential Center on Friday.
The Sabres (10-20-8) won for the second time when trailing after two periods (2-17-2) and the second time in overtime (2-7) this season.
Jack Eichel scored twice, including the tying goal at 11:04 of the third period.
Jacob Josefson, who spent the past seven seasons with the Devils before signing as a free agent with the Sabres on July 1, scored for Buffalo and Robin Lehner made 35 saves.
The Sabres next play the New York Rangers in the 2018 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic at Citi Field on Monday (1 pm; NBC, SN, TVA Sports, NHL.TV).
The Devils (22-9-6), who had a five-game winning streak end, extended their point streak to eight games (6-0-2). Miles Wood, Marcus Johansson and John Moore scored. Cory Schneider made 25 saves.
Eichel tied the game at 3-3 with a one-timer from the left circle off a cross-circle pass from Kyle Okposo. It was his second goal of the game at 15th of the season.
The Devils appeared to take a 4-3 lead 77 seconds later when Taylor Hall beat Lehner on a breakaway. However, the goal was negated by a successful coach’s challenge for offside from Sabres coach Phil Housley.
New Jersey took a 3-1 lead in the second period on goals from Johansson on the power play at 8:34 and Moore at 14:55. It was the fifth goal of the season for each.
Eichel made it 3-1 on a deflection of Jake McCabe’s shot from the left point, with 1:55 to play in the second period.
New Jersey took a 1-0 lead at 13:35 of the first period on Wood’s 10th goal. Josefson scored on a breakaway at 5:27 of the second to tie the game at 1-1.