Loui Eriksson scored 2:14 into overtime, and the Boston Bruins rallied to beat the Buffalo Sabres 4-3 on Sunday night.
Dougie Hamilton scored twice for Boston, including a tying goal with 1:31 left in the third after the Bruins pulled goalie Tuukka Rask. Chris Kelly also scored for Boston, and defenseman Zdeno Chara had two assists.
Buffalo couldn’t quite hang on after holding a 3-2 lead for most of the third period on Tim Schaller’s first NHL goal. Schaller was recalled from Rochester earlier in the day and played his third career game 50 miles south of his hometown of Merrimack, New Hampshire.
Andrej Meszaros and Rasmus Ristolainen also scored for the Sabres, who were outshot 37-28.
Jhonas Enroth had 33 saves, but could not stop Eriksson on a short breakaway in the extra session. Enroth slumped to a knee and remained in the net for several moments as the Bruins swarmed Eriksson, who finished with a goal and an assist.
Rask had 25 saves, but appeared to be headed for a loss before Hamilton sent a wrist shot over Enroth’s glove with time running out in the third.
Hamilton also had a power-play goal in the first, lifting Boston to a 1-0 lead. Meszaros responded with his first of the season at 6:06 of the second and Ristolainen gave Buffalo a 2-1 lead that lasted all of a minute before Kelly tipped in a shot by Chara with 4:24 left in the period.
Schaller gave Buffalo a 3-2 lead 1:27 into the third for his first career point. His parents made the trip south and stood cheering as the Sabres congratulated the rookie center.
NOTES: Boston D Matt Bartkowski played in his 100th career game, although not for long. He received a game misconduct after a hit on Brian Gionta, followed by a fight with Marcus Foligno 14:08 into the game. Gionta didn’t return. … Meszaros hadn’t scored since March 30 last season against Philadelphia. … Hamilton’s first goal ended Boston’s 0-for-11 power-play slump.