3 most impressive players from Buffalo Sabres' 4-3 shootout win over the Vegas Golden Knights feat. Ryan McLeod

The Buffalo Sabres earned a 4-3 comeback shootout win in a matinee matchup with the Vegas Golden Knights on Saturday afternoon at KeyBank Center. The Sabres improve to 26-33-6 (58 points) with the win, while the Golden Knights fall to 39-19-8 (86 points) in defeat.

The Sabres entered Saturday having lost seven of their last eight games, a 1-6-1 stretch that has all but eliminated them from playoff contention. However, you wouldn't have been able to tell, as the Sabres showed plenty of heart and resiliency against a strong Golden Knights team.

The Sabres got off to a solid start, generating several scoring chances in the opening frame. Unfortunately, they couldn't get past Golden Knights netminder Adin Hill. Vegas eventually found its legs and opened the scoring thanks to Brett Howden tapping in a Tanner Pearson pass back door. Buffalo led 12-7 in shots on goal but trailed 1-0 where it matters after the first period.

The second period saw plenty of extra-curricular activities. Howden delivered a big hit on Jiri Kulich, prompting Peyton Krebs to fight Howden in response. Just a few minutes later, Jordan Greenway and Keegan Kolesar dropped the gloves, firing up the KeyBank Center crowd.

While the emotions were high, Vegas capitalized again as Pavel Dorofeyev chipped in a loose puck to make it 2-0. However, Buffalo responded in a big way just seven seconds later as Ryan McLeod broke in and ripped one through the five-hole of Hill to cut the lead back to one. That was all for the middle frame, 2-1 Golden Knights heading to the third period.

It was a quiet first half of the third as Vegas was playing a stingy defensive game. That was until Dorofeyev took a tripping penalty in the offensive zone, putting the Sabres on the man advantage.

It took just 16 seconds for Jason Zucker to pick the top corner off an Alex Pietrangelo turnover, tying the game at two.

After some back-and-forth action, it was none other than former Sabres start Jack Eichel tapping home a rebound loose in the crease with just 2:33 left in the game. But Buffalo wouldn't let it end like that as Rasmus Dahlin blasted a one-timer from the point to tie the game at 3-3 with just 13.6 seconds remaining. Off to overtime, they went.

Eichel had multiple tremendous chances to win the game in the extra frame but was unable to play spoiler in his Buffalo homecoming. Overtime solved nothing and the shootout was on tap. Jack Quinn and Alex Tuch scored on slick moves en route to a 4-3 shootout win over the Golden Knights.

NHL: Vegas Golden Knights at Buffalo Sabres - Source: Imagn

The Buffalo Sabres will now travel to Boston for a matchup with the Bruins on Monday night. The puck drops at 7 p.m. ET at TD Garden.

3 most impressive players from the Buffalo Sabres' 4-3 shootout win over the Vegas Golden Knights

#1. Ryan McLeod

Ryan McLeod had a tremendous afternoon on Saturday. The second-line center scored one goal and was a +2 rating while enduring a large workload of 22:08.

McLeod also caused a turnover that led directly to Jason Zucker's goal in the third period. It didn't count as an assist, but the Sabres' offseason acquisition made it all happen with his speed and tenacity.

#2. Bowen Byram

The blueliner was all over the ice against the Golden Knights. Bowen Byram racked up two assists and had a +2 rating in 23:54 minutes of action.

Byram sprung Ryan McLeod for his goal and set up Rasmus Dahlin for the game-tying goal with 13.6 seconds left in the third. It was exactly the kind of performance the Sabres were hoping to get when they traded for him.

#3. Jason Zucker

Jason Zucker provided his usual energy on Saturday. He recorded one goal, four shots on goal, and two hits and had a +2 in 20:12 of ice time.

The veteran winger has been a perfect fit for the Sabres and they should be happy to have him locked up for the next two years at just $4.75 million.