Skinner leads Sabres to 6-2 win over Seattle Skinner hits for hat trick

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While all around you are losing, you might as well win.

In Seattle, the visiting Buffalo Sabres continued their late season surge with a 6-2 win over the Kraken on Monday.

Jeff Skinner hit for a hat trick in the win.

The Sabres climbed to the fifth slot in the wild card trace. They are four points back of the Washington Capitals who hold the second wild card spot, and have two games in hand on the Sabres.

It’s a tall ask of the Sabres.

Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen made 32 saves in the win.

The Sabres moved to 33-31-5.

“We know it’s a tough building to play in,” the Sabres’ Tage Thompson said. “We know they come out strong, and they got one quick. The rest of it was just important to have a good response and try to get some momentum and keep it simple.”

Jordan Eberle put the Kraken up, 1-0 with 24 seconds gone in the game, scoring from the high slot.

“Even though we gave up that early one, obviously, there was no deflate,” Buffalo coach Don Granato said. “The guys had their legs and they felt good about their game and went right at it.”

The Sabres replied with a goal by Thompson just 25 seconds later for a 1-1 tie before the first minute was done.

“You score first shift and then they score right after, that kills you,” Eberle said. “But that being said, I mean, we should be resilient. … They get one and you should be like, ‘All right, we’re fine.'”

Skinner put the Sabres up, 2-1, with his first of the match at 3:56 with a shot from the left circle.

Alex Tuch extended the Sabres’ lead to 3-1 at 5:41, scoring from the slot.

“Those are quality shots (that beat Daccord),” Seattle coach Dave Hakstol said. “The first goal against with Thompson, I mean, that’s just a [heck] of a shot, right? But you get to a point where, even though they’re from pretty good areas, the second and the third ones are still pucks that I know, when Joey’s on, he stops. He sees those and he makes those saves.”

The Kraken closed the gap to 3-2 at 14:36, with a marker from Matty Beniers  off the power play.

The Kraken dropped to 28-27-12, ending a five-game homestand without a win.

“I felt like we were just sloppy with the puck. No details in the D-zone, giving them too many odd-man rushes,” Seattle’s Eeli Tolvanen said. “They’re a good group of guys, and they’re fighting for a playoff spot, too, so this time of the year, we can’t make those mistakes.”

In the middle frame, the Sabres’ Owen Power extended the lead to 4-2 at 10:36, scoring off a shot from the left circle.

“We had too many holes in our game tonight, too much fluctuation up and down in the quality of our play throughout the game,” Hakstol said. “And I saw a little bit of frustration tonight.”

Skinner picked up his double just 42 seconds, scoring off a shot through a tangle of legs and sticks at 11:18, making the sore 5-2 to Buffalo.

Skinner collected his hats at 18:01 of the third.

“Great night by Skinner and some good chemistry there,” Granato said. “Beautiful play by Greenway to finish for his hat trick.”

Joey Daccord got the start for the Kraken, yielding three goals, making one save, before getting the hook.

Philipp Grubauer made 23 saves in relief.