Buffalo Sabres and Nashville Predators: How did Alex Lyon’s saves shape the second-period swing at KeyBank Center?

The Buffalo Sabres moved to 38-19-6 and 3 points by taking a 3-2 result over the Nashville Predators, who came in at 28-27-8 and 2 points, at KeyBank Center on 3/7/2026 at 5:30 PM EST. The Sabres finished with 3 goals on 24 shots, and Alex Lyon earned the win with 23 saves on 25 shots in a Buffalo Sabres vs Nashville Predators match summary.

First period

The Sabres opened with 20 hits and 5 takeaways in a period where both teams scored 0 goals. The Predators set an early tone on draws by winning 61 percent of faceoffs in the game, while the Sabres finished at 39 percent.

Second period

The Sabres tilted the game with 2 goals in the second period while keeping their power play at 0-for-2 on 1 shot across the night. Josh Doan logged 1 goal on 3 shots in the previous game, and his finish aligned with Buffalo scoring all 3 goals at even strength in this one. Tage Thompson posted 1 goal on 4 shots in the previous game, and he was again among the spotlight names after being listed as a game star. Nashville answered with 1 power-play goal on 8 shots in 3 opportunities, and Lyon’s 7 shorthanded saves limited the damage while the Sabres took 4 minor penalties for 8 penalty minutes.

Third period

The Sabres added 1 goal in the third period, and the team’s 10 plus-minus margin reflected how much of the scoring came at 5-on-5. Nashville produced 1 even-strength goal in the third period on the way to 25 shots, and the Predators also contributed 20 blocked shots and 8 takeaways to keep shifts extended in the Buffalo zone. The Sabres closed with 17 blocked shots and 14 giveaways, and what went wrong for Buffalo Sabres showed up most in the faceoff ledger and the penalty count even as the margin held. Among the game-changing plays Buffalo Sabres vs Nashville Predators, Buffalo’s even-strength finishing outpaced Nashville’s 8 percent shooting rate without needing a power-play goal, and post-game thoughts Buffalo Sabres centered on Lyon being the first star.

The Sabres are scheduled to host the Tampa Bay Lightning at KeyBank Center in Buffalo, New York, on 3/8/2026 at 6:00 PM EDT, with coverage available on ESPN+, MSG-B, and The Spot. Run it back with the Blue and Gold next game night, and share this article with other Sabres fans.