Sabres Cruise Past Lightning in Dominant Victory

Norris scores twice as Buffalo hands Tampa Bay second straight loss

Mar. 3, 2026 at 2:47am

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The Buffalo Sabres defeated the Tampa Bay Lightning 6-2 in a dominant performance on the ice. Rasmus Dahlin, Zach Norris, and Tage Thompson each scored for the Sabres, who jumped out to a 5-0 lead before the Lightning got on the board. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen made 36 saves in the win for Buffalo, who have now won three games in a row.

Why it matters

This game showcased the Sabres' offensive firepower as they were able to overwhelm the Lightning, one of the top teams in the Eastern Conference. The victory keeps Buffalo in the playoff hunt in the tight Atlantic Division race.

The details

Rasmus Dahlin opened the scoring for the Sabres with a wrist shot in the first period. Zach Norris then scored twice to make it 3-0 Buffalo before Tage Thompson and Zach Metsa added goals to extend the lead to 5-0. Dominic James and Victor Hedman scored for the Lightning to make it 6-2, but the game was well in hand by that point for the Sabres.

  • The game was played on February 28, 2026.
  • Dahlin scored the opening goal at 5:25 of the first period.
  • Norris scored his first goal at 6:15 of the first period and his second at 8:18 of the first period.
  • Metsa scored at 1:54 of the second period.
  • Hedman scored for the Lightning at 5:27 of the third period.

The players

Rasmus Dahlin

A defenseman for the Buffalo Sabres who scored the opening goal of the game.

Zach Norris

A forward for the Buffalo Sabres who scored two goals in the first period to give the Sabres a 3-0 lead.

Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen

The goaltender for the Buffalo Sabres who made 36 saves in the victory.

Victor Hedman

A defenseman for the Tampa Bay Lightning who scored a goal in the third period.

Andrei Vasilevskiy

The starting goaltender for the Tampa Bay Lightning who was pulled after giving up 5 goals on 14 shots.

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What they’re saying

“We came out with a lot of energy and really took it to them in the first period. That set the tone for the rest of the game.”

— Rasmus Dahlin, Defenseman, Buffalo Sabres

“We just didn't have it tonight. Credit to Buffalo, they played a great game and we couldn't match their intensity.”

— Victor Hedman, Defenseman, Tampa Bay Lightning

What’s next

The Sabres will look to continue their winning streak when they host the Florida Panthers on March 3rd. The Lightning will try to bounce back when they visit the Carolina Hurricanes on March 5th.

The takeaway

This game demonstrated the Sabres' ability to dominate one of the top teams in the Eastern Conference, showcasing their offensive firepower and strong goaltending. It keeps Buffalo firmly in the playoff hunt in the tight Atlantic Division race.