SABRES 2, JETS 1:

Kyle Okposo enjoyed his first two-goal game in 23 months, and the Buffalo Sabres continued their late-season playoff push with a 2-1 win over the Winnipeg Jets on Sunday. Okposo scored the go-ahead goal 7:37 into the third period and the Sabres won their fifth in six games. Rookie Jonas Johansson stopped 25 shots to earn his first victory in three NHL starts. The Sabres’ recent surge has moved them into a tie for fifth with Montreal in the Atlantic Division standings with 66 points each, and six back of third-place Toronto. Captain Blake Wheeler scored for Winnipeg, which stood to lose ground in a tightly contested race for the Western Conference’s final two playoff spots. Connor Hellybuyck finished with 23 saves to drop to 5-4-1 in his past 10 games. The Jets began the day at eighth in the conference with 69 points, a point ahead of Nashville and Calgary, which was playing at Detroit later Sunday. Okposo’s go-ahead goal followed a fortunate bounce. Sabres defenseman Brandon Montour’s pass from his own blue line struck teammate Zemgus Girgensons’ skate and then caromed off the skate of Winnipeg’s Nathan Beaulieu at the Jets blue line. The puck caromed directly to Okposo, who broke in up the right side and lifted a shot over Hellebuyck’s shoulder protecting the near post. Okposo provided Buffalo some much-needed secondary scoring while captain Jack Eichel was held without a point for just the fifth time in 43 games. Both teams were playing on consecutive days, with Buffalo coming off a 5-2 win at Pittsburgh. Winnipeg lost 4-2 at Philadelphia. The teams traded goals in the first period, with Winnipeg allowing the first goal for the eighth consecutive game. Henri Jokiharju’s shot from the right point glanced off the skate of Winnipeg defenseman Anthony Bitetto in front, and then off the back of the skate of Girgensons.