Stars shine in Sabres win, keeping playoff hope alive going into season's final week

BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP)-- Tage Thompson scored the go-ahead objective 6:15 into the third period, Rasmus Dahlin had a goal, 2 assists and an essential blocked shot and the Buffalo Sabres kept their slim playoff hopes alive with a 4-3 win over the Carolina Hurricanes on Saturday.

Casey Mittelstadt scored twice and Buffalo enhanced to 6-1-1 in its past 8, with the win ensuring the Sabres remaining in contention through their game at the New York Rangers on Monday. A guideline loss, otherwise, would have put 10th-place Buffalo in position to be gotten rid of later on in the day and extend its NHL-worst playoff dry spell for a 12th consecutive season.

Buffalo (39-32-7) matched its most success since completing 39-32-11 in 2011-12.

Sabres novice Devon Levi stopped 32 shots to enhance to 3-1 in making his 3rd start nine days.

Dahlin played a critical role in a game the Sabres fell behind 2-1 when Jarvis and Fast scored 22 seconds apart in the final six minutes of the very first duration, and routed 3-2 after Aho scored midway through the 2nd period.

Dahlin was on top of his smooth-skating game in establishing Mittelstadt's 2nd goal to connect the game at 3 with 1:42 left in the 2nd duration.

Thompson's consent objective began Buffalo's next rush up the ice after Dahlin returned to set his stay with block Martin Necas' from scoring into the open left side of the Sabres web. Thompson then scored his team-leading 46th goal with a one-timer from the slot that beat Raanta over his left shoulder.

MILESTONE

Dahlin upped his career-best point overall to 72, which ranks 3rd on the group's single-season list behind Phil Housley, who had 81 in 1989-90 and 77 in 1983-84. The goal was Dahlin's 15th of the season, the most by a Buffalo blue liner given that Alexei Zhitnik scored that lots of in 1997-98.

UP NEXT

Sabres play back-to-back games on the road at the New York Rangers on Monday night, and the New Jersey Devils on Tuesday.