Tuch has goal and assist as Sabres beat Canucks 5-3 for 11th win in 12 games

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Buffalo Sabres right wing Alex Tuch (89) celebrates his goal during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the Vancouver Canucks Tuesday, Jan. 6, 2026, in Buffalo, N.Y. (AP Photo/Jeffrey T. Barnes)

Buffalo Sabres center Tage Thompson (72) goes down to block a shot during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the Vancouver Canucks Tuesday, Jan. 6, 2026, in Buffalo, N.Y. (AP Photo/Jeffrey T. Barnes) — Buffalo Sabres right wing Alex Tuch (89) celebrates his goal during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the Vancouver Canucks Tuesday, Jan. 6, 2026, in Buffalo, N.Y. (AP Photo/Jeffrey T. Barnes)

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6:43 PM on Tuesday, January 6

The Associated Press

BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — Alex Tuch had a goal and an assist, and the Buffalo Sabres held on to beat the Vancouver Canucks 5-3 on Tuesday night for their 11th win in 12 games.

Tage Thompson, Ryan McLeod, Zach Metsa and Josh Doan also scored for Buffalo, which was coming off a 5-1 loss at Columbus on Saturday that snapped a 10-game win streak. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen stopped 32 shots.

Jake DeBrusk, Elias Pettersson and Liam Ohgren all scored in the third period, and Brock Boeser had two assists for the Canucks, who have lost four straight (0-2-2) and six of seven (1-4-2). Thatcher Demko had 15 saves.

Vancouver trailed 4-0 in the third period before DeBrusk ended Luukkonen’s bid for his first shutout of the season, scoring a power-play goal in front on the rebound of an attempt by Kiefer Sherwood at 10:17.

Petterson pulled the Canucks to 4-2 just under 5 minutes later, getting the puck in the slot and turning and firing it past Luukkonen.

Ohgren got Vancouver within one another 39 seconds later, scoring from the left circle with a shot through traffic that went between Luukkonen's pads.

Doan sealed the Sabres' win with his 13th of the season into an empty net with 1:24 remaining.

Thompson scored 2:01 into the game as he got a loose puck in the slot, turned and fired it past Demko for his 21st of the season.

McLeod made it 2-0 nearly 10 minutes with a short-handed goal. McLeod got a pass from Alex Tuch on a 2-on-1 rush and put it past Demko, who had moved to his left.

Tuch increased Buffalo's lead to 3-0 at 9:37 of the second, getting a pass across the front of the goal from Byram, gathering the puck and putting it past Demko from the left side.

Metsa added to the lead at 6:13 of the third, scoring from the right circle for the 27-year-old defenseman's first NHL goal in his 12th game.

Up next

Canucks: At Detroit on Thursday night in second of a six-game trip,

Sabres: At New York Rangers on Thursday night.

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AP NHL: https://www.apnews.com/NHL