@boosbuzzsabres
Sure, the Buffalo Sabres had a rough patch last night in Columbus where the Blue Jackets tied the score on two goals with just over three minutes left in the second period. It certainly wasn't great, but it's something we've seen from them most of season. Sometimes you have to give the other team credit for sensing apprehension and jumping all over the opportunities they present. The NHL is a league with plenty of parity and when two similar teams meet, like Buffalo and Columbus, breakdowns are going to happen.
However, what matters most is how a team rebounds from it and the Sabres did just that. A mere 2:12 into the third period Connor Sheary pounced on a rebound in the crease to put Buffalo up 5-4 and they held the fort the rest of the way. Once again, there were some tense moments, especially when the Jackets pulled their goalie for the extra attacker, but these are the moments where Buffalo's goaltending needs to shine and Carter Hutton did that for the Sabres. Columbus sent shots his way, none got by, and the Sabres headed to Dallas last night with a win in their pocket and some wind in their sails.
The stat sheet from last night is loaded with nuggets that are particularly pleasing to those of us in Sabreland. First off, they snagged two very important points in the standings and a full team effort allowed them to get the win. Hutton wasn't dominating in net by any stretch of the imagination allowing four goals on 37 shots (.892 save percentage,) but he didn't need to be perfect as he got some goal support. Five different Sabres scored last night with top-liners Sam Reinhart and Jeff Skinner lighting the lamp along with contributions from Evan Rodrigues and Sheary on the second line and Tage Thompson, who skated on the third line. Buffalo's fourth line, which had been the most consistent line all season, had a rough night but the top-nine carried the load. Which is the way it should be most of the time.
Perhaps head coach Phil Housley finally found himself a second line with rookie Casey Mittelstadt centering Sheary and Rodrigues. "Mitts" pumped four shots on goal and had a beautiful chance that the Jacket's Sergei Bobrovsky stopped but he did a lot of work on the winning goal along the boards beneath the line and was the main reason that goal came to be.
On defense Housley had his top four d-men clicking. Rasmus Ristolainen (26:10 time on ice) and Jake McCabe (22:34) carried a big load while Zach Bogosian (21:28) and Rasmus Dahlin (17:12) worked well as the second pairing. Marco Scandella and Matt Hunwick, who hadn't played in 13 games, made up the third pairing and they had some difficulties.
The Sabres play a Dallas team that they've really struggled against. Buffalo is 2-8-0 in their last 10 against the Stars 2-8-0 in their last 10 on the road against them. In their last meeting Dallas smoked the Sabres in Buffalo 7-1 in one of the ugliest Sabres performances of the year.
Buffalo should be getting a little help as the schedule-maker has them on a back-to-back while the Stars are playing their first game since January 19. A hiatus like that usually means there could be a lot of rust while the Sabres should be energized and up to speed having played a real solid game last night.
After this evening's contest the Sabres come back home for a seven game homestand beginning Friday vs. the Chicago Blackhawks. But before then, it would be great to see them replicate what they did in Columbus (minus the rough patch) and come away with another win.
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