Skinner scores twice and Sabres rally to 5-4 win over Wild

Updated Mar. 4, 2022 10:00 p.m. ET

Associated Press

BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — Jeff Skinner scored twice 4:20 apart in the third period, and the Buffalo Sabres rallied to a 5-4 win over the Minnesota Wild on Friday night.

Kyle Okposo and Casey Mittlestadt each had a goal and assist, and Victor Olofsson sealed the win with an empty-net goal with 1:06 remaining.

The Sabres, coming off a 5-1 win at Toronto on Wednesday, won consecutive games for just the fifth time this season, and rallied to beat Minnesota after squandering a 2-1 third-period lead.

Kevin Fiala and Kirill Kaprizov scored 1:39 apart to pull the Wild ahead 3-2 at the 4:59 mark of the third. Kaprizov had two goals, including his team-leading 26th with 34 seconds remaining, and Ryan Hartman also scored for Minnesota.

Minnesota's Kaapo Kahkonen stopped 33 shots in losing his third straight. Craig Anderson made 29 saves for Buffalo.

Skinner scored the go-ahead goal with 3:20 remaining by driving across the middle and having his initial shot blocked by Minnesota’s Dmitry Kulikov. Skinner collected the rebound and drove to the left post, where he lifted a shot over Kahkonen for his 23rd goal of the season.

Skinner tied it at 3 courtesy of a fortunate bounce after Tage Thompson’s attempt to ring the boards banked off a linesman’s skate and caromed into the middle, and with Kahkonen leaving his crease to play the puck behind the net. With the goalie scrambling back into position, Skinner whiffed on a backhander and had his second attempt blocked before scoring on his third chance by wrapping it in around the fallen Kahkonen.

The Wild fell short a night after rallying from four one-goal deficits in an eventual 5-4 victory at Philadelphia. Minnesota dropped to 2-7 in its past nine, with the slump immediately following an 11-1-1 run.

The Wild were without Mats Zuccarello, who sustained an upper-body injury against the Flyers on Thursday night. Coach Dean Evason didn’t disclose which player was going to be a game-time decision earlier in the day.

CLOSER TO RETURNING

Evason said there’s a chance forwards Matt Dumba and Jordan Greenway could be available to play as early as Sunday. Both players joined the team on the trip in order to take part in practice, and with the Wild taking Saturday off. Dumba (lower body injury) has missed 10 games and Greenway (upper body) five.

UP NEXT

Wild: Return home to face the Dallas Stars on Sunday.

Sabres: Host the Los Angeles Kings on Sunday.

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