On January 17, 2026, the Minnesota Wild secured a thrilling 5-4 victory over the Buffalo Sabres at KeyBank Center, ending their three-game winless streak. The game was a back-and-forth affair, with both teams trading goals throughout. Mats Zuccarello's game-winning goal in overtime, assisted by Kirill Kaprizov, proved to be the difference-maker. Marcus Foligno, Ryan Hartman, Vladimir Tarasenko, and Quinn Hughes also contributed to the Wild's success, with Filip Gustavsson making 20 saves. For the Sabres, Ryan McLeod, Peyton Krebs, Jack Quinn, and Alex Tuch found the back of the net, but it wasn't enough to secure the win. The game saw a series of lead changes, with Foligno giving the Wild an early 1-0 lead, only for McLeod to tie it up just 46 seconds later. Hartman and Tarasenko then put the Wild ahead, but Krebs and Quinn brought the Sabres back into the game. Tuch's power-play goal gave the Sabres a 4-3 lead, but Hughes' slap shot goal in the second period tied it up again. The Wild's road trip continues in Toronto on Monday, while the Sabres embark on a five-game road trip in Carolina, starting the same day.
