Wild Edge Sabres In Overtime Thriller As Zuccarello Strikes

It was a Saturday afternoon filled with drama, grit, and a much-needed sigh of relief for the Minnesota Wild, who snapped their three-game losing streak with a thrilling 5-4 overtime victory over the Buffalo Sabres at KeyBank Center on January 17, 2026. For fans of both squads, this wasn’t just another game on the schedule—it was a battle between two playoff-hopefuls, each looking to make a statement as the regular season barrels toward its second half.

Coming into the matchup, the Sabres were riding high, boasting 15 wins in their previous 17 games and holding the sixth spot in the Eastern Conference with a 26-16-4 record. The Wild, meanwhile, were third in the Western Conference at 26-13-9 and badly in need of a spark after a bumpy stretch. Both teams were dealing with significant injury concerns: Buffalo was without Jiri Kulich, Alex Lyon, Conor Timmins, Joshua Norris, Josh Dunne, and Justin Danforth, while Minnesota missed Jonas Brodin, Matthew Boldy, Joel Eriksson Ek, and Zach Bogosian. The stakes were high, the rosters a little thin, and the anticipation in Buffalo was palpable.

The Wild wasted no time getting on the board. Marcus Foligno, always a presence in front of the net, opened the scoring midway through the first period, finishing a crisp sequence set up by Vladimir Tarasenko and Ben Jones. But Buffalo, as they’ve so often done during their hot streak, responded almost instantly. Ryan McLeod crashed the crease and, with a little luck, saw the puck deflect off a Wild defenseman’s skate and behind Filip Gustavsson, knotting the score at one apiece.

As the clock ticked down in the opening frame, the Wild seized momentum. With just eight seconds left, Ryan Hartman tipped in a shot, restoring Minnesota’s lead and sending the visitors to the locker room up 2-1. According to the official NHL recap, "Hartman regains lead in closing seconds of the 1st." The energy only ramped up from there.

Early in the second period, Tarasenko continued his impressive campaign by netting his ninth goal of the season, giving the Wild a 3-1 cushion. But if anyone in the building thought Buffalo would fold, they were mistaken. The Sabres’ depth, a key factor in their recent surge, came alive. Peyton Krebs and Jack Quinn each found the back of the net, tying the game at three and swinging the momentum in Buffalo’s favor. Not to be outdone, Alex Tuch, one of the Sabres’ stars, added another, giving Buffalo a 4-3 lead with less than four minutes to play in the period. The building erupted.

The Sabres’ lead, though, would be short-lived. Less than a minute after Buffalo’s fourth goal, Quinn Hughes unleashed a booming slap shot—his fourth goal since joining the Wild—to tie the game at four. The teams headed into the third period deadlocked, and the tension was thick. Hughes’ equalizer was described by broadcasters as he "nets the equalizer on booming slap shot."

Both squads tightened up defensively in the third, with neither side able to break through. Gustavsson, who finished with 20 saves on 24 shots, held firm for Minnesota, while the Sabres’ defense did just enough to keep the Wild at bay. The Wild, however, maintained a significant edge in offensive pressure, outshooting Buffalo 35-24 and generating a whopping 17 high-danger chances in 5-on-5 play—a testament to their relentless forecheck and ability to create chaos around the net.

Penalties played a major role throughout the contest, with both teams combining for 30 penalty minutes and seven power play opportunities. Michael Kesselring, making his return from injury for Buffalo, led all players with nine penalty minutes, including a four-minute unsportsmanlike conduct penalty early in the first. As ESPN noted, "It was a penalty-filled game for both teams." The Wild, meanwhile, saw Marcus Foligno spend time in the box after a skirmish with Kesselring, but it was the late-game infractions that would prove most costly.

As regulation wound down, Sabres forward Peyton Krebs was whistled for hooking, sending the Wild to the power play as overtime began. With the extra man, Minnesota wasted little time. Just 1:46 into the extra frame, Mats Zuccarello capitalized on the opportunity, burying the game-winning goal before Buffalo could finish killing the penalty. The Wild bench erupted, and Zuccarello was mobbed by teammates as they celebrated a hard-fought, much-needed win. The NHL’s official recap summed it up: "Zuccarello scores in OT, Wild recover to defeat Sabres."

Kirill Kaprizov was a force throughout, finishing with a game-high three assists and continuing his stellar season. With 52 points in 48 games, Kaprizov remains one of the league’s most dynamic playmakers, averaging over 22 minutes per game. His fingerprints were all over Minnesota’s best moments, and his ability to set up scoring chances was on full display.

For Buffalo, the loss stung—not only did it snap their impressive run, but it also highlighted some recent issues. The Sabres have now recorded double-digit penalty minutes in four of their last five games, a stark contrast to their more disciplined play earlier in the season. Teams have capitalized on those opportunities, as the Sabres have allowed four power play goals in their last five contests. Head coach Don Granato will no doubt look to address those lapses as Buffalo prepares for a Monday afternoon tilt against the Carolina Hurricanes.

Despite the defeat, there were positives for the Sabres. Depth scoring came through, with McLeod, Quinn, and Krebs each lighting the lamp. Even on a night when stars like Tage Thompson and Josh Doan were held in check, Buffalo proved they have plenty of weapons throughout the lineup. As one local analyst put it, "It is good to see in games that the stars aren't scoring; they have other players who can step up and produce."

On the Wild’s side, this victory marked their 27th of the season, pushing their record to 27-13-9 and giving them a boost of confidence heading into a Sunday night showdown with the Toronto Maple Leafs. Goaltender Filip Gustavsson, now with 15 wins on the season, continues to be a steady presence between the pipes, ranking among the league’s top netminders with a .912 save percentage.

As the dust settles in Buffalo, both teams will look to build on the lessons learned in this see-saw thriller. The Wild rediscovered their scoring touch and resilience, while the Sabres were reminded just how costly penalties can be—even for the league’s hottest teams. With the playoff race heating up, every point matters, and Saturday’s contest was a vivid reminder that in the NHL, no lead is ever safe and no game is ever over until the final horn.