The Buffalo Sabres fourth goal on Thursday kept getting changed between Tage Thompson and Ryan McLeod. It was the next day when I could actually sit down and talk to McLeod about getting his first NHL hat trick.

It may not have been his first goal, but former Edmonton Oilers forward Ryan McLeod scored a goal last night that he won't soon forget. Actually, he scored three of them. And he made a little bit of history in the process.

The Sabres survived despite becoming the first team in NHL shot tracking history (to 1965) to score a goal in a 20-minute period without a shot on goal.

BUFFALO -- Ryan McLeod got his first NHL hat trick in a 4-2 win for the Buffalo Sabres against the Carolina Hurricanes at KeyBank Center on Wednesday. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen made 34 saves and Dylan Cozens scored for the Sabres (17-22-5), who are 6-3-1 since a 13-game losing streak (0-10-3).

FINAL | Sabres 4 - Hurricanes 2 Lindy Ruff addresses the media Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen addresses the media Dylan Cozens addresses the media Ryan McLeod addresses the media The Sabres conclude their three-game homestand Friday versus the Pittsburgh Penguins. Tickets are available here.

Monday vs. Washington in helping Alex Tuch (two goals) and JJ Peterka (two assists) to some of their best work in recent weeks.

McLeod scored three goals, took three shots on net, added two PIM, blocked two shots and went plus-3 in Wednesday's 4-2 win over the Hurricanes.

The Buffalo Sabres continue to ward off the stench from their 13-game losing streak earlier this season, defeating a talented Carolina Hurricanes team. After th

Dylan Cozens and Tage Thompson also scored and Jason Zucker had two assists for the Sabres, who won for the third time in four games. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen made 35 saves. Jaccob Slavin and Martin Necas scored and Brent Burns had two assists in the Hurricanes’ second straight loss. Dustin Tokarski made 20 saves.

McLeod’s hat-trick goal with 24 seconds remaining put the finishing touches on a bend-but-don’t-break performance by the Sabres, who were coming off a loss to Seattle in their most recent game in which goals against compounded into a blown lead.

Ryan McLeod registered a hat trick, one on the game's first shot, as the Buffalo Sabres held off the Carolina Hurricanes, 4-2, Wednesday night in a nationally televised game in KeyBank Center.