National Hockey League
Buffalo 7, Detroit 1
When: 7:00 PM ET, Saturday, April 6, 2019
Where: Little Caesars Arena, Detroit, Michigan
Referees: Kendrick Nicholson, Chris Schlenker
Linesmen: Derek Amell, Scott Driscoll
Attendance: 19515

Jeff Skinner scored twice to reach the 40-goal mark and the Buffalo Sabres closed out their season with a 7-1 thumping of the host Detroit Red Wings on Saturday.

Rasmus Dahlin supplied a goal and an assist. Sam Reinhart, Conor Sheary, Zemgus Girgensons and Brandon Montour also scored for the Sabres (33-39-10). Linus Ullmark made 23 saves.

Skinner reached the 40-goal mark for the first time in his nine-year career. He also had 32 even-strength goals this season. That gave him the most even-strength goals by a Sabre since Alexander Mogilny (49) in the 1992-93 season.

Anthony Mantha scored for Detroit (32-40-10).

Wings goalie Jimmy Howard was pulled in the second period after giving up five goals. He made 21 saves.

Buffalo led 2-1 after one period.

Jack Eichel made a pass from behind the goal to Reinhart in front. Reinhart then slid it past Howard for his 22nd goal this season.

Dahlin made it 2-0 on the power play off a pass from Rasmus Ristolainen. Dahlin beat a screened Howard on the far side.

Mantha scored in the slot to get the Red Wings on the board. His power-play tally came off a pass from the point by Andreas Athanasiou. Filip Hronek also had an assist on Mantha's 25th goal.

The Sabres stretched the advantage to 5-1 in the second period.

The Sabres regained a two-goal advantage when Sheary redirected Casey Nelson's shot from the point. Scott Wilson also picked up an assist on Sheary's 14th goal, which came at the 8:37 mark.

Skinner scored an unassisted goal just under three minutes later.

Girgensons took advantage of a Red Wings giveaway to score his fifth goal. Jason Pominville made the assist at the 12:47 mark.

Skinner scored a wrister from the right circle for his second goal of the night at the 10:27 mark of the third. Dahlin had the assist.

Montour scored a power-play goal just over a minute later. Ristolainen and Kyle Okposo collected the assists.

Buffalo won the season series 3-1.

--Field Level Media

Top Game Performances
 
Buffalo   Detroit
Jeff Skinner 2 Points Anthony Mantha 1
Jeff Skinner 2 Goals Anthony Mantha 1
Jack Eichel 2 Assists Andreas Athanasiou 1
Rasmus Dahlin 1 Power Play Goals Anthony Mantha 1
N/A Short Handed Goals N/A
Linus Ullmark .958 Save Percentage Kaden Fulcher .818
Linus Ullmark 23 Saves Jimmy Howard 21
Team Stats Summary
 
Team Shots Goals Power Play Penalty Kill Penalty Mins Face Offs Won
Buffalo 37 7 2-2 2-3 6 29
Detroit 24 1 1-3 0-2 4 25