Devon Toews scored 48 seconds into overtime, leading the Colorado Avalanche to a 6-5 comeback victory over the Buffalo Sabres on Thursday night in Denver.
This was the second time this season the Avalanche overcame a large deficit to beat the Sabres. On Dec. 3 in Buffalo, Colorado was down 4-0 after the first period but won 5-4. On Thursday, they trailed 3-0 after the first period and were down 5-3 in the third before making their comeback.
Jonathan Drouin tied the game with 7.7 seconds left in regulation, and Toews scored the game-winning goal in overtime after a breakaway. This victory extended Colorado’s winning streak to six games.
Toews also had two assists, and Cale Makar scored twice. Mikko Rantanen and Drouin each had a goal and an assist, while Ross Colton scored and Nathan MacKinnon registered three assists. The Avalanche won despite losing goaltender Scott Wedgewood to injury.
Wedgewood was hurt 1:27 into the third period when Zach Benson collided with Parker Kelly near the net, causing Wedgewood to go down and later be helped off the ice. He had made 14 saves on 18 shots. Mackenzie Blackwood replaced him, stopping two of the three shots he faced.
Jason Zucker recorded his third career hat trick and added an assist. Benson and Bowen Byram also scored for Buffalo. Tage Thompson had three assists, and Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen made 23 saves for the Sabres.
Zucker scored twice and Byram added a goal to give the Sabres a 3-0 lead midway through the second period. Makar’s goal made it 3-1, and Colton cut the lead to 3-2 early in the third. Benson’s goal restored the two-goal lead for Buffalo.
Rantanen scored on a power play to make it 4-3, and Zucker completed his hat trick to make it 5-3. Makar scored again to make it 5-4, and Drouin tied the game with a slap shot at 19:52 to send it to overtime.
