Buffalo applies the pressure but cannot net the equalizer in the 3-2 loss to the Sharks.
By Joe Yerdon / NHL.com Correspondent
BUFFALO, N.Y. — Logan Couture scored with 3:52 remaining to help the San Jose Sharks defeat the Buffalo Sabres 3-2 at KeyBank Center on Saturday.
Couture received a pass from Tomas Hertl and took a wrist shot from the right face-off circle that beat Robin Lehner high to the glove side for his eighth goal and fifth in the past four games.
The Sharks (5-5-0) ended their five-game road trip with a 3-2-0 record. The Sabres (3-7-2) have lost two straight games.
Aaron Dell made 31 saves for San Jose.
Jason Pominville gave the Sabres a 2-1 lead at 14:51 of the second period. Pominville received a pass from Jack Eichel and took a shot that beat Dell to his blocker side for his sixth goal.
Chris Tierney made it 2-2 at 19:48 of the second period, putting a loose puck past Lehner at the far post after a shot by Melker Karlsson went to Tierney.
Joonas Donskoi gave the Sharks a 1-0 lead at 9:12 of the first period with a breakaway goal. Donskoi picked up a loose puck that got past Sabres defenseman Matt Tennyson after his slashing penalty expired and skated in against Lehner, beating him with a wrist shot.
Ryan O’Reilly made it 1-1 at 2:55 of the second period with a power play goal. O’Reilly took a pass from Kyle Okposo and beat Dell over the shoulder for his fourth goal.
Eichel, who turned 21 on Saturday, had a goal overturned at 17:12 of the first period when Sharks coach Peter DeBoer challenged the goal because of interference with Dell. After video replay, it was determined that Sam Reinhart interfered with Dell before the puck crossed the goal line.
Lehner made 28 saves for Buffalo.
It was San Jose’s third win in 20 games at Buffalo (3-15-2) and their first regulation win in Buffalo since Dec. 5, 2005. They had been 1-4-2 with the win coming in a shootout.