Senators score a pair in the 3rd to beat Sabres

Austin Watson scored the tiebreaker in the third period and Zach Sanford and Brady Tkachuk added goals as the Ottawa Senators beat the Buffalo Sabres 3-1 on Thursday night

Nick Holden had two assists and Anton Forsberg made 23 saves as the Senators improved to 5-2-1 in their last seven road games and 5-5-0 in their last 10 overall.

"It was one of those where we just got better as the game went on," Watson said. "It's not so much about the other team. It's about being detailed and being committed to our game plan. And we definitely were."

Coach Don Granato said the hungrier Senators outworked the Sabres, especially in the third period.

"It felt like, OK we won a couple games, and we can just flip a switch on," Granato said. "And you can't do that in competition at this level."

Watson deflected Holden's slap shot past Anderson for the go-ahead goal with 9:09 remaining in the third period, breaking an 18-game scoreless streak.

Sanford tied it for the Senators with 3:56 remaining in the second period. Former Sabre Tyler Ennis found Sanford alone in front of the net, where he moved the puck to his backhand and tucked it around Anderson's glove for his eighth goal.

Tkachuk added an empty-net goal in the closing seconds, his 16th of the season.

The Sabres didn't put a shot on goal for the first 15:07 of the third period and had just two before getting another couple on net after pulling Anderson for an extra attacker in the final minute.

"It's just one of those things where they were doing enough things right there, hemming us in our own zone when we were tired," Anderson said. "Then they just started throwing pucks to the net, and they got a bounce."

Okposo gave the Sabres the lead on a power play with 6:23 left in the first period. Taking a long pass from Rasmus Asplund to set up a breakaway, Okposo beat Forsberg with a move from the right slot. Okposo's 11th goal was his third in four games.