The Buffalo Sabres got off to a good start in the game scoring first. Zemgus Girgensons made a nice pass on the wall to a streak Nick Baptiste. He beat Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Anton Stralman to the net with his speed and slipped the puck between the legs of Louis Domingue.
They took the play to the visitors for a few minutes after the goal. Then a penalty woke up Tampa Bay. Yanni Gourde tied the game at one with the man advantage after a slick pass from Nikita Kucherov.