Buffalo Sabres and San Jose Sharks: did Jack Quinn’s 3rd-period strike tilt KeyBank Center?

The Buffalo Sabres moved to 40-19-6 and 6 points, while the San Jose Sharks went to 30-26-6 and 3 points, in a 6-3 game at KeyBank Center on 7:00 PM EDT. The Buffalo Sabres vs San Jose Sharks match summary centered on Buffalo’s 26 shots and 6 even-strength goals against San Jose’s 20 shots and 1 power-play goal.

First period

The Sabres opened with 2 goals in the first period as the Sharks matched with 1 goal in the first period. Buffalo finished the period leaning on a 51 faceoff win percent that reflected 28 faceoffs won in 55 draws, while San Jose posted 49 faceoff win percent with 27 faceoffs won.

Second period

The Sabres added 2 more goals in the second period, and the Sharks added 1 goal in the second period to keep contact at even strength. Buffalo’s puck pressure showed in 7 takeaways against 14 giveaways, while San Jose recorded 4 takeaways against 17 giveaways, and the teams stayed close on hits with Buffalo at 21 and San Jose at 23.

Third period

The Sabres scored 2 goals in the third period, and the Sharks scored 1 goal in the third period as Buffalo closed the night with 23 shooting percent on 26 shots. Jack Quinn, the game’s first star, carried over form from his previous outing with 3 goals and 4 points, while Jason Zucker, the second star, had 2 points in that previous game and was again on the stars list in this one. Beck Malenstyn, the third star, logged 5 hits in his previous game and also appeared among the stars as Buffalo’s 20 plus-minus contrasted San Jose’s minus-21.

Goaltending and special teams

Buffalo goaltender Alex Lyon earned the win with 17 saves on 20 shots against, and San Jose’s goalie took the loss with 20 saves while allowing 5 goals against on 25 shots against plus 1 empty-net goal against. The Sharks went 1-for-3 on the power play with 5 shots, while the Sabres went 0-for-1 on the power play, and Buffalo’s penalty kill faced 3 opportunities with 5 shots against. Fans tracking the Buffalo Sabres match rating could point to Buffalo’s 14 blocked shots and 1 empty-net goal, while San Jose finished with 16 blocked shots and 0 empty-net goals.

What it means next

The Buffalo Sabres post-game interviews followed a night that also produced Buffalo Sabres vs San Jose Sharks highlights in front of an attendance of 19070 at KeyBank Center. The Sabres are scheduled to host the Washington Capitals at KeyBank Center in Buffalo on 03/12/2026 at 7:00 PM EDT, with the broadcast set for ESPN+, MNMT2, and MSG-B. Share this article with Sabres fans who tracked this game and want the next one on their watch list.