Recap: Eichel and Reinhart lead the Sabres past the Predators

The Buffalo Sabres played the best team in the NHL very good for the second time in two weeks. They were the better team for most of the night against the Nashville Predators.

Jason Pominville got the Sabres going early scoring 43 seconds into the game. Nashville came back to tie a few minutes later. PK Subban scored on the man advantage to make it 1-1 three minutes in. Setting us up for a high scoring night it turned out to be.

Late in the first Austin Watson gave the Predators the lead cleaning up a rebound to give Nashville a 2-1 lead after the first. The Sabres had a 14-9 lead in shots on goal.

Exactly two minutes into the second period Kyle Turris increased the Predators lead to 3-1. From this point on however the Sabres took over.

Ryan O’Reilly scored his 22nd of the season on the power play to get his club back within one. Just under two minutes later Kyle Okposo fired one past Pekka Rinne to even the game up at three.

Nashville jumped back in front again halfway through the period on a questionable goal. Watson fell on top of Chad Johnson before Nick Bonino chipped the puck into the net while Johnson was down. The Sabres challenged for goaltender interference, but the goal stood.

Then things took a scary turn near the end of the period. Predators forward Scott Harnell ran Victor Antipin from behind into the boards. Antipin crumbled to the ice and laid their motionless.

The medical staff got the stretcher out for Antipin quickly and he was taken to the hospital for evaluation. Hartnell was given a five minute major and game misconduct for the unnecessary and illegal check.

Buffalo made the Predators pay scoring three goals in four minutes. Sam Reinhart scored twice within two minutes to give the Sabres a 5-4 lead.

Okposo finished it off scoring his second of the game to give his team a 6-4 lead after 40 minutes. Eichel also had five assists through 40 minutes of play.

Rinne was pulled at the start of the third in favor of Juuse Saros, but that didn’t stop the Sabres from scoring.

Sam Reinhart scored again for the hat trick to make it 7-4 early in the period. The Sabres held off the Predators for the remaining of the game to skate away with the win and two points.

Final: Sabres 7, Predators 4

Shots on Goal: Sabres 36 | Predators 36

Sabres Goal Scorers: Pominville (13), O’Reilly (22), Okposo (12, 13) and Reinhart (21, 22, 23)

Predators Goal Scorers: Subban (16), Watson (13), Turris (16) and Bonino (12)

Three Stars of the Game

1. Jack Eichel (5 A)

2. Sam Reinhart (3 G)

3. Kyle Okposo (2 G)