Luukkonen leads Sabres to 1-0 win over Kings in return from injury

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Buffalo Sabres defenseman Rasmus Dahlin, left, and Los Angeles Kings center Anze Kopitar vie for the puck during the first period of an NHL hockey game Wednesday, Nov. 20, 2024, in Los Angeles, Calif. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)

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Los Angeles Kings defenseman Jordan Spence, left, and Buffalo Sabres center Jiri Kulich vie for the puck during the first period of an NHL hockey game Wednesday, Nov. 20, 2024, in Los Angeles, Calif. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)

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Buffalo Sabres defenseman Henri Jokiharju shoots during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the Los Angeles Kings Wednesday, Nov. 20, 2024, in Los Angeles, Calif. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)

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Los Angeles Kings center Anze Kopitar keeps the puck away from Buffalo Sabres defenseman Jacob Bryson during the second period of an NHL hockey game Wednesday, Nov. 20, 2024, in Los Angeles, Calif. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)

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Buffalo Sabres left wing Beck Malenstyn, center, is helped off the ice by left wing Zach Benson, left, and defenseman Owen Power during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the Los Angeles Kings, Wednesday, Nov. 20, 2024, in Los Angeles, Calif. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)

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Buffalo Sabres left wing Beck Malenstyn, right, and Los Angeles Kings defenseman Brandt Clarke vie for the puck during the first period of an NHL hockey game Wednesday, Nov. 20, 2024, in Los Angeles, Calif. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)

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Los Angeles Kings center Anze Kopitar, right, vies for the puck against Buffalo Sabres center Peyton Krebs, left, and defenseman Jacob Bryson during the second period of an NHL hockey game Wednesday, Nov. 20, 2024, in Los Angeles, Calif. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)

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Los Angeles Kings defenseman Vladislav Gavrikov, right, chases Buffalo Sabres right wing JJ Peterka during the first period of an NHL hockey game Wednesday, Nov. 20, 2024, in Los Angeles, Calif. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)

By DAN GREENSPAN

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen stopped 24 shots, Jason Zucker scored the game’s only goal, and the Buffalo Sabres beat the Los Angeles Kings 1-0 on Wednesday night.

Luukkonen had six saves in the first period, six in the second and 12 in the third to get his first shutout of the season in his return after being sidelined for two games because of a lower-body injury. The Sabres have won five of seven.

David Rittich made 18 saves for Los Angeles, which has lost three of four.

With the game scoreless after two periods, Zucker scored 38 seconds into the third on the power play by redirecting Rasmus Dahlin’s shot past Rittich.

Dahlin has points on the man-advantage in four straight games, and he extended his point streak overall to seven straight with four goals and six assists in that span.

Takeaways

Sabres: Tage Thompson, who leads Buffalo in goals, missed his third straight game because of a lower-body injury. He had practiced the past two days.

Kings: Having spent the first two months of the season grinding out results in spite of largely inconsistent performances, Los Angeles couldn’t pull it off again and dropped to 5-2-1 on home ice.

Key moment

Zucker was unbothered at the top of the crease, and that positioning turned into his fourth goal of the season with the tip of Dahlin’s effort.

Key stat

Buffalo came into the night 2 for 19 (10.5%) on the power play away from home, which ranked 30th in the NHL. But a 1-for-3 showing was enough to take down Los Angeles.

Up Next

Sabres visit Anaheim on Friday night, and Kings host Seattle on Saturday.

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