The Carolina Hurricanes secured a 2-1 victory over the Buffalo Sabres on January 19, 2026, at Lenovo Center in Raleigh, N.C., extending their winning streak to three games. Goaltender Brandon Bussi made 17 saves, including several highlight-reel stops, while Seth Jarvis scored the game-winning power-play goal early in the third period. Andrei Svechnikov contributed a goal and an assist in the win.
The game began with Buffalo taking an early lead when defenseman Rasmus Dahlin scored at 1:33 of the first period, firing a snap shot from the right face-off circle over Bussi's glove after gathering the puck at the red line. Carolina responded later in the period, tying the score at 1-1 at 7:04 on Svechnikov's 17th goal of the season. The tally came on a backdoor tap-in from a no-look pass by Sebastian Aho, marking Svechnikov's fifth goal in his last three games.
The second period remained scoreless, with both goaltenders shining. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen stopped 26 of 28 shots for Buffalo, including a key save on Alexander Nikishin during a partial breakaway. Bussi, in his first NHL season, preserved the tie with a spectacular glove save on Tage Thompson's one-timer at 8:29 during a 2-on-0 break. Thompson, who finished with six shots, later said, "I felt like I had the whole net, and his glove came out of nowhere." Bussi also denied Dahlin on a one-timer at 11:32, Owen Power from the slot at 11:49, and Thompson's backhand at 13:19.
Early in the third, Buffalo's Owen Power was penalized for tripping Logan Stankoven, and Jarvis capitalized just seven seconds into the power play at 2:10, tipping in a rebound from the right hash marks for his 22nd goal. The Sabres pushed late, pulling Luukkonen with a minute left, but Bussi made crucial saves, including on Thompson with 19 seconds remaining. Hurricanes coach Rod Brind’Amour noted the netminders' duel: "It was a battle there in the net, and obviously our guy came out on top."
Carolina improved to 31-15-4, winners of seven of their last nine, and extended their home winning streak against Buffalo to 13 games. Winger Eric Robinson left in the first with an upper-body injury and is expected out for a little while. Buffalo fell to 26-17-5, dropping their second straight as they begin a five-game road trip.
