The Buffalo Sabres battled back multiple times but still couldn’t come away victorious, falling 6-3 to the Colorado Avalanche on Thursday night at Ball Arena. The loss extended Buffalo’s skid to five straight games and kept them as the only winless road team this season at 0-5-2.
Colorado opened the scoring just 52 seconds in when Martin Necas broke free for a breakaway goal, sparking a burst of five combined goals in under 13 minutes. Buffalo trailed 3-2 after the first period and switched goaltenders, with Alex Lyon exiting after allowing two goals on three shots. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen came on in relief.
Tage Thompson tied the game midway through the second period with a power-play one-timer, but Colorado regained the lead 1:26 later when Gavin Brindley’s shot deflected off a defender and drifted over Luukkonen’s shoulder. The Sabres pushed for another equalizer in the third, including a late power play, but Necas struck again with just over three minutes left, and Gabriel Landeskog added an empty-netter to seal the outcome.
Luukkonen finished with 26 saves on 29 shots. Thompson posted a goal and an assist, while Bowen Byram and Jordan Greenway also scored.
The Sabres close their four-game road trip Saturday in Detroit, with puck drop set for 7 p.m.
Kyle leads sports coverage and hosts the Concrete Jungle podcast. Have a lead or question? Send it to kyle@fingerlakes1.com.