Patrick Sharp scored twice for the second time in five games and the Dallas Stars rallied from an early two-goal deficit to beat the Buffalo Sabres 4-3 on Thursday night.
Jamie Benn and Tyler Seguin also scored for Dallas, which stopped a three-game losing streak.
The game ended only after a review following the final horn of a near Buffalo goal with 11 seconds left.
Evander Kane scored twice for the Sabres, who were looking to win four straight games for the first time since December 2014. Matt Moulson had Buffalo’s other goal.
Kari Lehtonen improved to 10-13-6, allowing one goal after replacing Antti Niemi to start the second period. Niemi was lifted for the third consecutive start.
Anders Nilsson (8-7-4) absorbed his fourth loss in the past five decisions.
The Stars outshot the Sabres 38-26, including 34-11 through the first two periods.
Kane’s first goal came on Buffalo’s third shot. In Niemi’s two previous starts, he allowed a goal on the opponent’s first shot.
Niemi gave up two goals on five shots overall this time.
Sharp scored at 10:59 of the first period on a wrist shot from beyond the left circle with Nilsson screened. Sharp beat Nilsson to the short side on another wrister at 13:16 of the second for his sixth of the season to put Dallas ahead 3-2.
Seguin’s goal gave him 18, tying Patrick Eaves for the team lead. It was knocked across the goal line by Buffalo’s Cody Franson during a scrum in the crease.
Benn’s goal tied the score at 2 only 42 seconds into the second period on the continuation of a first-period power play. Buffalo challenged the goal, claiming offside, but the review was ruled inconclusive.
The teams went into the game with the NHL’s two worst penalty-killing units, Dallas ranked 29th and Buffalo 30th. The Sabres went 1 for 2 and the Stars 1 for 5.
Dallas improved to 5-14-7 when giving up the first goal.
NOTES: Lauri Korpikoski assisted on Sharp’s first goal, giving him 199 career points.. The teams split their two-game season series played over 11 days. The Sabres won 4-1 on Jan. 16 in Buffalo.. The Stars have used both goalies in seven of their last 14 games, winning four.
UP NEXT
Sabres: Buffalo will come out of the All-Star break playing Tuesday at Montreal, where it has won on four of its last five visits.
Stars: The fourth game on a six-game homestand, their longest of the season, will be Tuesday vs. Toronto.
