McLeod scores 2 goals as Sabres beat Hurricanes 4-2 for third win in four games

By Canadian Press on January 15, 2025.

BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — Ryan McLeod scored two goals and the Buffalo Sabres beat the Carolina Hurricanes 4-2 on Wednesday night.

Dylan Cozens and Tage Thompson also scored and Jason Zucker had two assists for the Sabres, who won for the third time in four games. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen made 35 saves.

Jaccob Slavin and Martin Necas scored and Brent Burns had two assists in the Hurricanes’ second straight loss. Dustin Tokarski made 20 saves.

McLeod opened the scoring 43 seconds into the game when he whistled a shot past Tokarski. His goal with 6 seconds left in the second period made it 3-0.

Slavin’s got the Hurricanes on the scoreboard 3:45 into the third period and Necas made it a one-goal game with 3:10 to play.

Thompson was awarded a goal with 24 seconds left to make it 4-2.

Takeaways

Sabres: After blowing multi-goal leads in Colorado and home against Seattle on Saturday, Buffalo held on in the third period.

Hurricanes: This is the first time Carolina has lost two in a row since they dropped two straight around the Christmas break at Nashville on Dec. 23 and at New Jersey on Dec. 27.

Key moment

Thompson was the last to touch the puck on the Sabres’ fourth goal when his attempt on an empty net went off the post. McLeod attempted to put the rebound in, but had his stick broken by a slash by Brent Burns before he touched the puck.

Key stat

McLeod’s muti-goal game is the third of his career and his first goal was the fastest goal to start a game at KeyBank Center this season.

Up Next

Sabres host Pittsburgh on Friday, and Hurricanes host Vegas.

___

AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/NHL

Joe Yerdon, The Associated Press