O'Reilly scores in OT to lift Sabres past Kings
BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) - Ryan O'Reilly's 100th NHL goal ticked a lot of boxes for the struggling Buffalo Sabres.
The alternate captain's off-balance milestone tally in overtime snapped a three-game losing skid, handing the Sabres a 2-1 win over the Los Angeles Kings on Saturday night.
O'Reilly was tripped as he cut to the slot, but lifted his shot while falling to the ice, fooling Kings goaltender Jhonas Enroth at 3:19 of overtime.
"I was waiting to see what was open," O'Reilly said. "I usually like low blocker, but as I was falling I just tried to get it off in that area."
O'Reilly also added an assist in extending his point streak to seven games, a run in which he's picked up three goals and seven assists.
The critical goal was Buffalo's first overtime winner in four tries, evening its record to 3-3 when a game goes past regulation, and is what coach Dan Bylsma has come to expect from O'Reilly.
"It's probably going to be hard to overstate it," Bylsma said. "He's pretty much been there in every situation and every opportunity for our team. He's come up big again for us."
Jamie McGinn also had a goal and an assist for the Sabres, while Linus Ullmark made three of his 21 saves in overtime.
Buffalo battled past another disallowed goal that gives it four overturned on coach's challenges this season, all for offsides.
Marian Gaborik scored for the Kings, and Enroth finished with 28 saves against his former team.
The loss snapped the Kings' six-game winning streak, but Los Angeles has picked up a point or more in nine in a row.
"We had opportunities to finish to win it," Kings coach Darryl Sutter said.
The Kings needed nearly five minutes to get a shot on goal, but Gaborik made it count when he one-timed a 2-on-1 pass from Anze Kopitar past Sabres goaltender Linus Ullmark.
McGinn then drew a penalty in retaliation for a big hit, and found the tying goal on the ensuing power play when he found a loose puck just outside the crease and backhanded a no-look shot between his legs and past Enroth.
"He's one of the most underrated players out there right now," O'Reilly said of McGinn. "The way he's been playing lately, he's been a big piece for us."
With Ullmark on the bench due to a delayed call against the Kings, Buffalo nearly scored through another McGinn point-blank backhand. Enroth smothered the puck.
Buffalo outshot L.A. 12-3 in the first period.
Though the Kings picked up their shot output in the second period, the Sabres continued to spend the majority of time in puck possession.
Buffalo hit a goal post, saw a chance dribble wide of the goal and embedded a puck in the outside of the goal.
That's when Jack Eichel chipped a pass through the Kings defense to an onrushing McCabe, and the defenseman snapped a shot over Enroth's right shoulder.
The goal didn't stand up to review, though, as Darryl Sutter challenged the play and Brian Gionta was determined to be offside.
"Once you look at it from another angle, it's not even close," Sutter said. "That's the rule. That's what video's for."
Buffalo has now had four goals disallowed on coaches' challenges this season, all on disputed offside calls.
The Sabres continued to pour pressure on the Kings in the third, with Los Angeles playing its third road game in four nights and Buffalo off since Thursday's loss in Calgary.
Ullmark made a sprawling save on Tyler Toffoli about 7 minutes into the third. Neither team could score, and the game went to overtime with Buffalo holding a 29-18 advantage in shots on goal.
"I thought it went in at first because I felt my pad wasn't really on the post, but no one was cheering," Ullmark said. "So that was good."
Ullmark also stopped Kopitar on an overtime breakaway.
NOTES: Linesman Steve Miller worked his 1,000th career game, and was honored with his family in a pregame ceremony. ... Four Kings are former Sabres, and right wing Jordan Nolan is the son of former Buffalo head coach Ted Nolan.