BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — What a difference a win makes.
The second sellout crowd of the season at KeyBank Center erupted into the wave and sang along in unison throughout a jubilant third period. And there wasn’t an inflatable palm tree or frown-faced paper bag in sight.
Friday night’s 6-2 shellacking of the lowly Chicago Blackhawks, a second straight Sabres victory, doesn’t make up for a monthlong winless streak. But it sure helped ease fan discontent from losing seven of those 13 games on home ice.
Alex Tuch scored a hat trick, Dylan Cozens and Jack Quinn each had a goal and an assist in the first period, and the Sabres also got a goal from Zach Benson in building a 4-0 lead, while Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen needed to make just two of his 15 saves in the opening period.
Rasmus Dahlin had two assists after tallying four in Buffalo’s 7-1 win against the New York Islanders on Monday.
Cozens set up Quinn’s one-timer on a rush 15 seconds after Tuch’s tip-in to make it 3-0 within the opening 13 minutes.
The Blackhawks trailed by three goals before recording a shot on net at 13:11 into the first, and had just two shots in the opening period.
Tuch scored twice in the third period after the Blackhawks closed within 4-2 to tally the third hat trick of his career.
The Sabres visit the St. Louis on Sunday to open a four-game road trip.