The Buffalo Sabres continue to roll, coming out of the Olympic break with a 2-1 win over the New Jersey Devils. The Sabres find themselves in a dog fight to hold onto an Atlantic Division playoff spot, a tough ask given how many good teams the division has.
Much like the New Jersey game, Friday’s tilt against the defending Stanley Cup champions wasn’t always pretty but the Sabres found a way through. It got a bit dicey at the end, but the Sabres walked away with a big 3-2 win.
The Beck Stops Here
Though Alex Tuch certainly deserves honorable mention, the best Sabre on the night was none other than…Beck Malenstyn? The fast, physical winger was the standout player on the night, turning in an impactful 10:57 on the night.
Malenstyn was involved in the action whenever he was on the ice, putting pressure on the Panthers with his relentless forecheck. His goal in the third period – despite protestations from the Panthers – was upheld and proved to be pivotal in the win.
The best teams find contributions from throughout the lineup and that is what happened here. Tuch got them on the board to start, but Malenstyn’s shot with just under eight minutes to go wound up being the key in the Sabres win.
The Alex Lyon Tour Continues
Alex Lyon came in late to perform mop-up duty in the ugly loss to the Calgary Flames on Dec. 8. Like the Sabres, Lyon has been virtually unbeatable since then and the trend continues after yet another sparkling performance.
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As the Sabres tried to fight their way through a sloppy performance, Lyon continued to excel. He stopped 27 of 29 shots on the night, the second goal being an accidental one from Rasmus Dahlin. It’s hard to find much fault in his game lately.
Lyon is now 12-2-0 since that appearance in the Calgary game. His performance this season has been a revelation, arguably the best of his career. He and the rest of the goaltending trio will be vital as the Sabres continue to push down the stretch.
Finding a Way
This was far from a sterling game from the Sabres. That being said, the truly good teams find a way to win when things aren’t exactly clicking. They have some holes and will hopefully address them in the coming week but managed to find a way to win ugly.
The special teams were solid overall, killing three of four Panthers chances while also adding a power play goal. They also blocked more shots and won the takeaway battle by more than two-to-one.
The Sabres did a lot of little things, although they were once again dominated in the faceoff circle. They are finding ways to win, though it is admittedly much more fun when they pour on the offense.
One More in the Road Trip
The Sabres will visit the red-hot Tampa Bay Lightning on Saturday before heading home for a visit from the Vegas Golden Knights on Tuesday. After a road game in Pittsburgh on Thursday, the Sabres then have a very manageable five games at home.
How that homestand looks will depend largely on what, if anything, the Sabres do this week. The team needs reinforcements, particularly on the bottom pairing. Still, it’s nice to see the Sabres continuing to thrive and push to finally end the drought.
