Lightning defeat Sabres 3-1 for 5th consecutive victory

Nicholas Paul and Tyler Motte notched within 1 minute in the 1^st period, and the Tampa Bay Lightning won against the Buffalo Sabres 3-1 at KeyBank Center in Buffalo, NY for their 5^th straight win.

A step forward. ⚡️

📝: https://t.co/6m0ocve3UH pic.twitter.com/3aS3nCeviF

— Tampa Bay Lightning (@TBLightning) January 20, 2024

Brandon Hagel finished with 2 assists, and Paul added an assist when defenseman Calvin de Haan notched into the empty net in the final moments of the 3^rd period. Jonas Johansson, an ex-Buffalo player now the reserve of Andrei Vasilevskiy in Tampa Bay, stopped 27 shots in the opener of a 3-match road trip.

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Red Wings Rally to End Skid with 6-5 Shootout Win Over Sabres

#BOLTSWIN FIVE IN A ROW!!! pic.twitter.com/sjtk1dW8b1

— Tampa Bay Lightning (@TBLightning) January 20, 2024

Dylan Cozens notched for Buffalo after missing the previous match with an upper-body problem. After straight shutout wins, Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen made 13 saves for the Sabres.

Tampa Bay finishes a back-to-back set against the Red Wings in Detroit tomorrow, while Buffalo will travel to Anaheim to face the Ducks on Tuesday to begin a 3-match road trip.