Sports

McLeod scores 3 goals as Sabres beat Hurricanes 4-2 for third win in four games

McLeod scores 3 goals as Sabres beat Hurricanes 4-2 for third win in four games

Buffalo Sabres center Ryan McLeod, center, celebrates with left wing Jason Zucker, left, and defenseman Owen Power (25) after scoring during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the Carolina Hurricanes in Buffalo, N.Y., Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Adrian Kraus)
1 of 13 | 

Buffalo Sabres center Ryan McLeod, center, celebrates with left wing Jason Zucker, left, and defenseman Owen Power (25) after scoring during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the Carolina Hurricanes in Buffalo, N.Y., Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Adrian Kraus)
By  JOE YERDON
Updated 2:27 AM UTC, January 16, 2025
Comments

Share

BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — Ryan McLeod scored three goals for his first career hat trick and the Buffalo Sabres beat the Carolina Hurricanes 4-2 on Wednesday night.

Dylan Cozens also scored and Jason Zucker had two assists for the Sabres, who won for the third time in four games. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen made 35 saves.

Jaccob Slavin and Martin Necas scored and Brent Burns had two assists in the Hurricanes’ second straight loss. Dustin Tokarski made 21 saves.

McLeod opened the scoring 43 seconds into the game when he whistled a shot past Tokarski. His goal with 6 seconds left in the second period made it 3-0.

Slavin’s got the Hurricanes on the scoreboard 3:45 into the third period and Necas made it a one-goal game with 3:10 to play.

Thompson completed his hat trick with 24 seconds left to make it 4-2.

Takeaways

Sabres: After blowing multi-goal leads in Colorado and home against Seattle on Saturday, Buffalo held on in the third period.

Hurricanes: This is the first time Carolina has lost two in a row since they dropped two straight around the Christmas break at Nashville on Dec. 23 and at New Jersey on Dec. 27.

Key moment

McLeod’s third goal was awarded when his stick was slashed and broken by Burns as he went to put the puck into an empty net with 24 seconds left in the game.

Key stat

McLeod’s muti-goal game is the third of his career and his first goal was the fastest goal to start a game at KeyBank Center this season.

Up Next

Sabres host Pittsburgh on Friday, and Hurricanes host Vegas.

___

AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/NHL