Minnesota Wild vs Buffalo Sabres Match Player Stats On Nov 10, 2023

Rookie Devon Levi made 33 saves while Jeff Skinner scored the tiebreaking goal and assisted on the decisive third-period score for the Buffalo Sabres, who beat the visiting Minnesota Wild 3-2 on Friday night.

JJ Peterka also had a goal with an assist for Buffalo, which is riding a 2-0-1 stretch. Levi, who entered 2-3-0 with a 3.41 goals-against average, was stout all game for the Sabres.

The score looked to stay tied 1-1 entering the third period after Levi proved stellar in stopping all 14 shots he faced during the second -- highlighted by a sprawling blade save on Minnesota star Kirill Kaprizov, who scored his fifth goal earlier in the game.

Buffalo then took advantage of a Wild turnover to break the tie on just the fourth of its six shots on goal in the second period. Skinner was on a partial breakaway and pushed the puck past Minnesota goaltender Filip Gustavsson (22 saves) with just 58 seconds remaining in the second.

The Sabres extended their lead 3:33 into the third when Peterka capped some nifty passing via Skinner and Tage Thompson, who recorded his 100th career assist. Levi thwarted an up-close chance by Minnesota's Joel Eriksson Ek moments later.

Eriksson Ek, however, was finally rewarded with 7:33 remaining in regulation with his 100th goal and Minnesota's second power-play score of the game. Levi, though, saved a liner through traffic from Kaprizov with 13.1 seconds left and survived a post hit by Jared Spurgeon, who was making his season debut from injury for the Wild.

Each team had moments of serious pressure during the first period. Henri Jokiharju's one-timed drive through traffic and past a screened Gustavsson, who stopped 10 shots through the first 20 minutes, opened the scoring with 1:58 remaining before the initial intermission.

However, Minnesota made the most of a late power play. Off a perfect cross-slot pass from Matt Boldy, Kaprizov went down on one knee to one-time the puck by Levi with 30 seconds left in the opening period.

Minnesota has five points in the last eight games.

--Field Level Media