Ducks Struggle on Defense as Losing Streak Reaches Nine Games

Buffalo Sabres Extend Winning Streak with Victory Over Anaheim Ducks

BUFFALO, N.Y. — The Buffalo Sabres secured their 13th win in 14 games with a 5-3 victory against the Anaheim Ducks on Saturday night. Jack Quinn led the charge, scoring twice, while Tage Thompson contributed a goal and an assist.

This remarkable 14-game stretch marks the best run in franchise history and has propelled the Sabres from the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings into playoff contention. The team aims to break a 14-season postseason drought, the longest in NHL history.

Bowen Byram and Josh Norris also found the net in Buffalo’s third consecutive win and sixth straight home victory. Assists came from Peyton Krebs and Zach Benson, both of whom recorded two each. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen made 31 saves, earning wins in five of his last six starts.

The Ducks struggled to keep pace, despite late efforts from Olen Zellweger, Leo Carlsson, and Mason McTavish, who each scored in the final period after the Sabres had established two separate three-goal leads. Lukas Dostal stopped 27 shots as Anaheim closed out a four-game road trip with their ninth consecutive loss.

Missing from the Ducks lineup was top-line forward Troy Terry, who sat out his second game in a row due to an upper-body injury.

Quinn opened the scoring just two minutes into the game with his second goal in 20 games. Midway through the second period, Thompson extended the lead to 2-0 with his team-leading 22nd goal of the season. The scoring play was set up by Josh Doan’s forecheck, which led to a turnover and allowed Krebs to find Thompson for a quick tap-in.

Byram matched his career-high by scoring his 10th goal of the season in the third period, firing a shot from the high slot after receiving a pass from Thompson. Quinn added his second goal just 44 seconds after Zellweger broke the shutout, followed by goals from Carlsson and McTavish late in the game. Norris sealed the Sabres’ victory with an empty-net goal with just 11 seconds remaining.