Guentzel’s second goal of the game cut it to 5-4 at 17:43, scoring from close range off a pass from Brayden Point. He completed the hat trick at 18:46 with a power-play goal to tie it 5-5, a one-timer from the right circle off a pass from Brandon Hagel.

Jake Guentzel had a hat trick, Oliver Bjorkstrand scored the go-ahead goal early in the third period, and Tampa Bay Lightning rallied for a 6-5 victory over the Buffalo Sabres.

It was far from pretty and, in fact, the Lightning’s 6-5, comeback win over the Sabres Thursday night was wildly bizarre. Though Tampa Bay was lulled into a sloppy, wide-open game by a Buffalo team with high-skill scorers but a porous defense,

Analyzing Thursday’s Buffalo Sabres at Tampa Bay Lightning odds and lines, with NHL expert picks, predictions and best bets.

Welcome back to NHL Predictions. We analyze matchups, dissect advanced stats, and pretend to have the foresight of a fortune teller. Tonight, we turn our attention to the Tampa Bay Lightning taking on the Buffalo Sabres—a matchup featuring one team fighting for playoff positioning and another fighting to stay relevant.

Watch the Game Highlights from Tampa Bay Lightning vs. Boston Bruins, 03/08/2025