BUFFALO, N.Y. — Sam Reinhart scored the deciding goal in the shootout to lead the Buffalo Sabres to a 4-3 win over the St. Louis Blues on Sunday night.
After Jack Eichel and Tyler Bozak traded goals to open the shootout session, Reinhart scored on Buffalo’s final attempt when he got just enough on his wrist shot to get it past Jake Allen, who got a piece of it with his glove.
Ryan O’Reilly then had a chance to extend the shootout against his former team, but his backhand chance hit the crossbar.
Johan Larsson, Evan Rodrigues and Conor Sheary scored in regulation for the Sabres. Carter Hutton made 30 saves.
Pat Maroon, David Perron and Brayden Schenn scored for the Blues, who got 31 saves from Jake Allen.
The game was mostly even and back and forth from beginning to end.
Schenn evened the score at 3 with 11:19 remaining on a questionable goal that was challenged by the Sabres. With Hutton sprawled along the ice — and O’Reilly falling on top of him — Schenn went around the other side for a wrap-around.
Larsson opened the scoring 6:42 into the game when he collected a cross-ice pass from defenceman Zach Bogosian and his wrist shot found the near corner for his sixth goal of the season.
Maroon tied it just over two minutes later, curling around the net and leaving the Sabres defence confused for his seventh goal.
Rodrigues restored Buffalo’s lead with 5:12 remaining in the first on a 2-on-1, patiently cutting inside and tucking a low shot inside the far post.
Sheary made it 3-1 7:46 into the second on a similar 2-on-1 rush. Rookie defenceman Rasmus Dahlin set up the odd-man rush with a terrific breakout pass, and Sheary did the rest with a shot high to the far corner.
Perron got the Blues back in it two minutes later. The veteran forward threaded a long shot through traffic for his 18th goal of the season at 12:15.
NOTES: Blues LW Alexander Steen played in his 700th game for St. Louis. The 2002 first-round pick began his career in Toronto before being traded to St. Louis in 2008. … Veteran Jason Pominville was a healthy scratch for Buffalo, in a surprise move. D Jake McCabe, LW Scott Wilson and D Matt Hunwick were also scratched for Buffalo. … Vladimir Tarasenko (upper body), D Joel Edmundson, LW Sammy Blais and C Robby Fabbri were scratched for St. Louis.
UP NEXT:
Blues: Home against Edmonton on Tuesday.
Sabres: Home against Toronto on Wednesday.
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Mark Ludwiczak, The Associated Press