Zucker recorded two assists, two shots on goal, two blocked shots and a plus-2 rating in Wednesday's 4-2 win over the Hurricanes.
The Sabres got a fourth goal in the third period to ice the game — despite not recording a shot on net in the entire period, an NHL first.
The Sabres survived despite becoming the first team in NHL shot tracking history (to 1965) to score a goal in a 20-minute period without a shot on goal.
FINAL | Sabres 4 - Hurricanes 2 Lindy Ruff addresses the media Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen addresses the media Dylan Cozens addresses the media Ryan McLeod addresses the media The Sabres conclude their three-game homestand Friday versus the Pittsburgh Penguins. Tickets are available here.
It may not have been his first goal, but former Edmonton Oilers forward Ryan McLeod scored a goal last night that he won't soon forget. Actually, he scored three of them. And he made a little bit of history in the process.
Dylan Cozens and Tage Thompson also scored and Jason Zucker had two assists for the Sabres, who won for the third time in four games. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen made 35 saves. Jaccob Slavin and Martin Necas scored and Brent Burns had two assists in the Hurricanes’ second straight loss. Dustin Tokarski made 20 saves.
Zucker’s net-front residence has yielded offense at both 5-on-5 and on a resurgent Buffalo power play. Since Dec. 21, with Zucker a regular on the top unit, the Sabres have gone 9-for-28 (32 percent) with the man advantage, seventh best in the NHL during that span.
Ryan McLeod registered a hat trick, one on the game's first shot, as the Buffalo Sabres held off the Carolina Hurricanes, 4-2, Wednesday night in a nationally televised game in KeyBank Center.
The Buffalo Sabres (16-21-5) defeated the Ottawa Senators (19-18-3) by a core of 4-0. With two goals from Jack Quinn and three points from Ryan McLeod, the Sabres had their offense showing up, and Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen stopped all 35 shots for his sixth career shutout and second of the season.