(Buffalo) Moritz Seider scored 3:45 into overtime to give the Detroit Red Wings a 4-3 win over the Buffalo Sabers. Tyler Bertuzzi had two goals and two assists in the win.
Rookie Lucas Raymond was also a key player in the winning camp with three assists while teammate Pius Suter had one goal and one assist. Alex Nedeljkovic blocked 29 shots to help the Wings end a four-game losing streak.
Rasmus Dahlin scored his first goal of the season for the Sabers, who conceded a fourth straight loss after a brilliant 5-1-1 start. Tage Thompson and Arttu Ruotslainen were the Sabers’ other scorers. Rasmus Asplund had two assists to extend his streak with at least a point to six. Dustin Tokarski made 29 saves.
Bertuzzi netted two goals in 90 seconds midway through the third period to tie the Red Wings back to a 3-3 tie. Then, in overtime, it was he who set the table by serving a perfect pass to Seider who launched himself on receipt of the faceoff circle to the right of the net to score the winning goal.
After beating Tokarski with a wrist shot at 13:24 of the third period, Bertuzzi came back 90 seconds later, taking advantage of a pass in goal from Suter.
Earlier in the game, the Wings were leading 1-0 when the Sabers responded with two goals in just over a minute in the second period.
Jeff Skinner prepared for Thompson’s goal to tie the game with 8:28 left in the second. Then, on the next change, Robert Hagg forced Joe Veleno to take a penalty in the offensive zone and Dahlin used the power play to push the Sabers ahead.
Early in the third period, Ruotsalainen went 3-1, but the Sabers were unable to protect the lead.
Throughout the game, the Sabers highlighted the 40e anniversary of Val James’ first game in the National Hockey League. The latter is the first African American to play in the NHL. He achieved the feat in 1981-1982 with the sabers. It was the Detrois Red Wings who drafted James with the 184e overall pick in 1977. He never played with the Wings, however.