Tomas Hertl had two goals and an assist for the San Jose Sharks in a 5-3 win against the visiting Buffalo Sabres on Tuesday.
Mario Ferraro had a goal and an assist and Rudolfs Balcers had two assists for the Sharks, who have won two in a row. James Reimer made 25 saves.
Jeff Skinner scored twice, Vinnie Hinostroza had two assists, and Craig Anderson made 22 saves for the Sabres, who lost their second straight game.
Jonathan Dahlen gave the Sharks a 1-0 lead at 7:25 of the first period. Anderson made the save on a point shot from defenseman Brent Burns and Dahlen, at the left of the net, found the loose puck in a scramble and deposited it in the open side of the net.
Skinner tied it 1-1 at 8:48 of the first on a delayed penalty against San Jose. The Sabres pressed with the extra attacker and Skinner capitalized with a shot from the high slot.
Ryan Merkley scored his first NHL goal to put the Sharks ahead 2-1. Hertl intercepted a Sabres clearing attempt and sent it to Merkley, who, after back-and-forth passing with Alexander Barabanov, fired a shot from the point that deflected off a pair of Buffalo forwards at 12:49.
Hertl made it 3-1 at 6:13 of the second period, taking a pass from Balcers in the slot and cutting around Sabres defenseman Robert Hagg and sliding it past Anderson.
Drake Caggiula brought the Sabres to within one at 13:33, blasting a slapshot from the top of the left circle that went glove side on Reimer.
Burns sprung Balcers on a breakaway with just under five minutes remaining in the period, but Anderson stayed with him to make the save.
Ferraro pushed it to 4-2 at 6:02 of the third period. Jasper Weatherby won a battle behind the net, and the puck made its way to defenseman Nick Merkley, who fed Ferraro for a one-timer from the blue line.
Hertl danced around Sabres defenseman Rasmus Dahlin to extend it to 5-2 at 11:46.
Skinner batted the puck in from below the goal line to make it 5-3 at 18:13.
–Field Level Media
