The Buffalo Sabres finally got the monkey off their back and did so in an emphatic way against the Ottawa Senators. Their eight-goal outburst briefly silenced the ocean of critics, but it was critical that the Sabres build on that momentum against the Florida Panthers.
In a result that shocked virtually everyone, the Sabres did just that. They got a complete effort and showed that for one night, they can go toe-to-toe with the champs. Let’s get into the three takeaways from the Sabres’ 3-0 victory over the Panthers.
The Sabres Have a Power Play?
For years, one of the major complaints surrounding the Sabres has been about their power play. With talent like Rasmus Dahlin, Tage Thompson, and Alex Tuch playing on the top unit, it was incomprehensible that the power play could struggle as much as it had.
For two games in a row now, the power play looks alive and exciting. They scored three goals on the man advantage against the Senators and added another pair of power play goals this afternoon against the Panthers.
As it stands, the Sabres have the seventh-best power play in the league at 27.8%. While the sample size is certainly quite small, it is more life than they have shown with a man advantage in years. It’s one of the features that has been missing from their game almost entirely until late.
Josh Doan is for Real
When J.J. Peterka was shipped off to Utah, the main focus of what Buffalo got in return was defenseman Michael Kesselring. We are still waiting to see what he can deliver for the Sabres, but there is little doubt that Josh Doan – the “other” piece acquired in the trade – is a player.
Related: Zach Benson and Josh Doan are the Sparkplugs the Sabres Need
Even when the Sabres struggled over the first three games, Doan stood out with his tenacity and relentless effort. Even if the bounces weren’t there, he was going to make sure that things turned his way. His three-assist effort against the Senators seems like it was just the start.
Doan scored a pair for the Sabres in the win over the Panthers and looks like he is going to be a focal part of the top six. He has the kind of grit and spark to his game that almost no one – save Zach Benson, perhaps – can bring to the table. So far, it’s looking like that is making quite the difference.
Alex Lyon Deserves Credit
Though it certainly isn’t ideal that Alex Lyon has been handed the lion’s share (see what I did there) of starts, he has filled in for the injured Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen admirably. He has a 2-2-1 record so far, sporting a 2.43 goals against average and a fantastic .929 save percentage.
He has brought a veteran calmness to the net that has been desperately needed at times. It is nice to know that while Luukkonen recovers, he can do so at an appropriate rate because Lyon has filled in so well.
Ideally, Luukkonen will return soon because Lyon isn’t traditionally “the guy.” The longer Luukkonen is gone, the less likely it is he is going to keep this level of play up. But for now, Sabres fans should be patting Lyon on the back every chance they get.
Time to Build on the Momentum
As a Sabres fan, it gets easy to grasp for straws. The world was ending after the loss to the Colorado Avalanche; everyone is riding high in the wake of a second straight win. The key is for the Sabres to finally build some momentum and go on a run.
They don’t need to win 15 in a row, but they can’t do what they’ve done in recent seasons and bounce from losing streak to winning streak and back. Consistency is what sets the great teams apart and it is what will get all of Buffalo believing again.
