Pavel Datsyuk and Jiri Hudler both scored goals in regulation and the shootout as the Detroit Red Wings snapped a two-game losing streak with a 3-2 comeback win in Buffalo.
Hudler banged home a rebound with 57 seconds left in the third period to knot the game at 2, then scored the clincher in the shootout, beating Buffalo goalie Ryan Miller on a backhand shot.
Andrej Sekera and Mike Grier scored for Buffalo, which lost for the first time in the skills competition this season. Buffalo was 5-0 coming into tonight’s game in the shootout.
Sekera and Grier scored 2:04 apart in the first period to give the Sabres a 2-0 lead, but the Red Wings slowly chipped away. Datsyuk got the Red Wings on the board 10:43 into the second period on a power play, flinging a wrist shot through traffic that beat a helpless Miller.
Hudler then tied it, jumping up into the play and banging home Johan Franzen's rebound after coming onto the ice as the extra skater for goaltender Joey MacDonald.
MacDonald was sharp in the skills contest, stopping both Drew Stafford and Thomas Vanek to secure the win. Stafford has four hat tricks this year and Vanek was 5-for-5 in shootout attempts coming into the game. MacDonald finished with 30 saves in regulation and overtime in what could be his last start as a Red Wing for a while with the impending return of Chris Osgood.
Miller stopped 35 shots for Buffalo, but didn’t get to stop any by his brother, Drew Miller. Drew Miller was a healthy scratch for the Red Wings as Mike Modano and Valtteri Filppula returned to the lineup.