The Buffalo Sabres played one of their better games of the season when they ground out a 3-2 victory over the St. Louis Blues on Saturday afternoon at Key Bank Center.  Evander Kane and Ryan O'Reilly scored second period goals to give the Sabres a 3-1 lead and they were able to hold on the rest of the way.

St. Louis opened the scoring with a goal 90 seconds into the game, but the Sabres got that one back when Jack Eichel set up Nick Baptiste with a great pass and he scored his third goal of the season.  Baptiste had been called up from Rochester in the morning when Sam Reinhart became ill and he made an immediate impact.  He also drew an assist on Kane's 20th goal of the season that put the Sabres ahead to stay.

O'Reilly's power play goal late in the second period gave the Sabres a two-goal edge and they needed it after the Blues scored a short-handed goal late in the third to close to within one.

The Blues had come in as the hottest team in the NHL having won six straight games, but Robin Lehner was terrific in goal once again making 37 saves.

With the win the Sabres close to within one point of Toronto for a wild card playoff spot and they could move past Toronto with a victory over another red-hot team, the Chicago Blackhawks on Sunday evening.

 

More From 106.5 WYRK