Sam Reinhart’s Hat Trick Leads The Buffalo Sabres Past Winnipeg

After 6 straight losses the Buffalo Sabres finally found their scoring touch thanks to the first National Hockey League hat trick by rookie Sam Reinhart.  Reinhart scored twice in the first period, then iced the game scoring into an empty net in the final minute to lead the Sabres to a 4-2 win over the Winnipeg Jets on Sunday afternoon.

The Sabres never trailed in the game, but needed Marcus Foligno's third period goal to give them a lead they never surrendered.  After pulling their goaltender with time winding down the Jets put on heavy pressure in an attempt to tie the score until Evander Kane found Reinhart in the clear for the clinching goal into a wide open net.

Kane was playing for the first time in Winnipeg after the trade that sent him and defenseman Zach Bogosian to the Sabres in exchange for Tyler Myers and Drew Stafford last year.  The Winnipeg crowd booed Kane every time he touched the puck and it would have been satisfying for him to score the clinching goal, but instead he passed it to Reinhart for his hat trick.  It was a classy move by Kane.

The victory was the first for the Sabres since the comeback win over Boston the day after Christmas and their first in Winnipeg since 1993.  The Sabres play in Minnesota on Tuesday night, then return to Buffalo to host Boston on Friday night.