Jack Eichel Nets Winner In Sabres’ 5-4 OT Victory Over Predators

Jack Eichel scored his second goal of the game at 2:35 of overtime to lift the Buffalo Sabres to a 5-4 road victory over the Nashville Predators on Tuesday.

Jack Eichel Nets Winner In Sabres’ 5-4 OT Victory Over Predators

Eichel beat Predators forward Colin Wilson and shot past goaltender Juuse Saros for his 12th goal of the season.

“I was just trying to build some speed and attack them,” Eichel said. “I noticed that I had a forward playing [defense] back there, so I just tried to use my speed and go after him and obviously try and get a shot on. He’s a really athletic goaltender and he makes it hard on you, so I’m just trying to move him a little bit and get it up.”

Sabres forward Kyle Okposo tied the game 4-4 with 1:05 left in the third period on a shot from the right face-off circle. He beat Nashville forward Ryan Johansen to the puck and fired it past Saros for his 15th goal. Okposo’s goal came on a Sabres power play.

Zemgus Girgensons and Brian Gionta also scored and Robin Lehner made 35 saves for Buffalo (20-18-9), which has now won three straight.

James Neal finished with a goal and an assist, and Filip Forsberg, Cody McLeod and Viktor Arvidsson also scored for the Predators (23-17-8), who had won three in a row. Saros blocked 32 shots.

Gionta scored to make it 4-3 at 14:10 of the third period. Girgensons made a cross-ice pass to Gionta, who beat Saros for his 11th goal.

Arvidsson gave Nashville a 3-2 lead at 5:08 of the third on the power play. The winger got the rebound of his own shot and flicked the puck past Lehner for his 12th goal.

Eichel scored his first goal of the game, which tied it 2-2, with 17.4 seconds remaining in the second period.

Buffalo defenseman Dmitry Kulikov returned to the lineup after missing 12 games with a back injury. He played 24:11 and blocked seven shots. Wilson returned to Nashville’s lineup after missing eight games with a lower-body injury.

The Sabres next visit the Dallas Stars on Thursday, when the Predators host the Columbus Blue Jackets.

NEW YORK, NY – JANUARY 03: Jack Eichel #15 of the Buffalo Sabres skates against the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden on January 3, 2017 in New York City. The Sabres defeated the Rangers 4-1. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)