Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen made 23 saves in his return from an injury and Jason Zucker scored the lone goal to help the visiting Buffalo Sabres earn a 1-0 win against the Los Angeles Kings on Wednesday.
Luukkonen, who missed two games with a lower-body injury, earned his sixth career shutout to improve to 4-0-0 since Nov. 5.
Zucker tipped Rasmus Dahlin’s point shot on the power play 38 seconds into the third period for his 200th NHL goal.
Los Angeles pressured for the equalizer, with Anze Kopitar trying to jam the puck past Luukkonen, but the goalie held firm. The Kings’ Quinton Byfield just missed on the doorstep with David Rittich pulled for the extra attacker.
Rittich made 18 saves for the Kings, who have lost three of their past four games.
The Sabres controlled much of the opening period to build a 9-3 advantage in shots on goal and an 18-8 edge in total attempts by the 12-minute mark, but they were denied by Rittich.
Just over eight minutes in, Jiri Kulich’s shot from the high slot was blocked by Brandt Clarke. Kulich then collected the rebound at the hashmarks for a quick wrist shot but Rittich held tight for the save.
The hosts started to find their game as the period progressed and had their best chance on Adrian Kempe’s tip in front with just under a minute and a half to go in the frame. The attempt was stopped by Luukkonen.
The Kings continued their pressure in the second. Luukkonen stayed sharp, denying Trevor Moore from a sharp angle along the goal line at the end of a power play 6 1/2 minutes in and stretching his left leg for a pad save on Byfield at the side of the net with 7 1/2 minutes remaining.
Los Angeles held the Sabres to three shots on goal in the second.
The Sabres have scored a power-play goal in seven straight games.
–Field Level Media
