VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Oct. 30 (UPI) -- Rookie Ales Kotalik scored with 2:39 remaining in regulation Tuesday night and nearly won it in overtime as the Buffalo Sabres rallied for a 1-1 tie with the Vancouver Canucks, who have just one victory in their last eight games and continue to struggle on the power play and in the third period.
Kotalik, recalled from the minors on Sunday, swept the puck past goaltender Dan Cloutier from the bottom of the left faceoff circle to force overtime. A one-timer by defenseman Jason Woolley from the right side never reached the net and came to Kotalik, whose only other NHL goal came on March 19.
After Vancouver squandered another power play in the extra period, Kotalik picked up a giveaway by defenseman Mattias Ohlund and broke in alone, but Cloutier got a piece of the shot and Todd Bertuzzi lunged to clear the rebound out of the crease.
Defenseman Ed Jovanovski scored the lone goal for the Canucks, who were 1-for-9 with the man advantage and have just two goals in 38 power-play chances over the last six games. They have been outscored in the third period, 13-5, this season.
