SAN JOSE — Jeff Skinner scored the game-winning goal in the third period as the Buffalo Sabers defeated the San Jose Sharks 4-2 on Saturday night.
Sabers forward Dylan Cozens extended his goals streak to three. Alex Tuch and Owen Power also scored for Buffalo. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen made 33 saves for his 14th win of the season.
Evgeny Svechnikov and Alexander Barabanov scored for San Jose, while Kaapo Kahkonen made 27 saves in what was his 12th loss of the year as the Sharks fell to 5-14-7 on home ice this season.
Skinner got a pass from Tage Thompson midway through the third period for his 21st goal of the year as the Sabers took a 3–2 lead.
“I didn’t like our third,” said Sharks coach David Quinn. “They have kicked it up a notch. I thought we were taking a step back. Just a miscommunication about the (Skinner) goal and it seemed like we got demoralized easily after they went up 3-2, and we didn’t do much after that.
Skinner now has 12 goals in 20 career games against the Sharks, including his last seven. He also extended his points streak against San Jose to eight games, recording eight goals and three assists in that span.
Skinner has also earned at least one point in each of his last six games in SAP Center.
At 3:01 of the first period, Cozens went coast to coast beating Kahkonen through the legs for his 20th goal of the season.
Svechnikov deflected a shot late in the first inning for his sixth of the season to tie the game at one.
Like Cozens’ goal, Power managed to beat the Sharks netminder with a shot that went five holes for his fourth goal of the season.
The Sharks dominated the game through the second period, beating the Sabers 9-2 at mid-period. At 8:02 of the second, Erik Karlsson took a shot that bounced off the backboard to Barabanov to slide home.
The Sharks have now scored just four goals in their last three games, all losses. Both Timo Meier and Tomas Hertl have scored just one goal in their last five games.
Saturday’s game was the Sharks’ first of seven games in a row at home, though Monday’s game against the Seattle Kraken is the only one against a team currently in a playoff position.
Early in the third, Sabers forward Peyton Krebs was awarded a penalty, but was stopped by Kahkonen.
Tuch scored his 26th goal into an empty net to freeze the game in the third.
NEXT ONE
sabers: Host the Toronto Maple Leafs on Tuesday nights.
Sharks: Host the Seattle Kraken on Monday.
