Nikita Kucherov scored three times as the Tampa Bay Lightning beat the Buffalo Sabres 8-3 on Wednesday night at KeyBank Center.
Scott Sabourin opened the scoring at 18:49 of the first period, with assists from Conor Geekie and Jake Guentzel. John Carlson made it 2-0 on the power play at 19:38 of the first period. Brandon Hagel made it 3-0 at 4:33 of the second period. Yanni Gourde made it 4-0 at 13:02 of the second period. Josh Doan pulled the Sabres within 4-1 on the power play at 15:54 of the second period. Jason Zucker pulled the Sabres within 4-2 at 19:32 of the second period.
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Tage Thompson pulled the Sabres within 4-3 at 0:33 of the third period. Kucherov made it 5-3 at 1:25 of the third period. Kucherov made it 6-3 at 4:11 of the third period. Kucherov made it 7-3 on the power play at 14:13 of the third period. Hagel made it 8-3 at 15:06 of the third period.
For Tampa Bay, Carlson had a goal and four assists, Kucherov had three goals and an assist, Guentzel had four assists, Sabourin and Gourde each scored, and Andrei Vasilevskiy stopped 28 of 31 shots.
For Buffalo, Doan, Zucker and Thompson each scored, and Colten Ellis stopped 5 of 8 shots.
Buffalo outshot Tampa Bay 31-22. Tampa Bay went 2 for 4 on the power play, and Buffalo went 1 for 3. The Lightning improved to 12-4-2. The Sabres fell to 8-7-3.
The Lightning are third in the Eastern Conference. The Sabres are 10th in the Eastern Conference and have lost two straight.
The Lightning are back in action when they visit the Columbus Blue Jackets on Thursday, Nov. 12, at 7:00 p.m. ET. The Sabres are back in action when they visit the Chicago Blackhawks on Thursday, Nov. 12, at 8:00 p.m. ET.
