When talking about the Buffalo Sabres, it is typically easy to get hung up on the things that go wrong or what they could be improving on. However, this season they have given fans and the rest of the league something fantastic to talk about and to watch, as they have strung together their longest winning streak since the 2018-19 season. Looking back on every game that has contributed to that streak, there have been some very distinct positive contributors that have stood out, and as they continue on through this season, hopefully these contributors become trends.
Team Defense Has Been Incredible
The Sabres have been committing to the idea of playing team defense: blocking shots, clearing the net, good zone exits, and playing disciplined enough not to take many penalties. In their last nine games, they have only taken 25 penalties, and even if they did take more, their No. 3-ranked penalty kill in the league (84.8%) would be more than capable of handling it well. Blocking shots has been almost like a mantra for many players, as they have accumulated 163 blocks in their last nine games.
Leading the charge on playing some of the most inspiring defense in years has been defender Mattias Samuelsson. He leads the team in blocked shots with a total of 76, and is followed by the injured Conor Timmins (who has 70), and then the next closest player is Bowen Byram with 47. Samuelsson also leads the team with an outstanding plus-14 for his plus/minus, which is far higher than the second-highest of Zach Benson and Noah Ostlund, who both are plus-6. Seeing the defensive capabilities of this team has been a treat, and watching the comeback of Samuelsson leading that charge is all the sweeter.
Goaltending Is Showing Up Big
The Sabres’ goaltending has mostly been fronted by Alex Lyon. He has been rock solid, winning his last seven games straight, posting a 1.98 goals-against average (GAA), and a .919 save percentage (SV%). Then, there has been Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen playing more of a backup role, and still putting up incredible numbers in the games he has played during the streak (two wins, 1.00 GAA, .960 SV%). Between the two of them, that gives the team an NHL-best .929 SV% since Dec. 9.
Looking at the stats only paints so much of the picture. Both goaltenders have looked composed, confident, and involved in each game. Neither has given up on a save or a play, and rarely does a goal go in where someone could say “they might want that one back”. They both are out there making the easy saves when they need to, AND they are coming up with the big saves when they count. It has been a while since the goaltending has looked this good, and it would be amazing to see it continue. Sadly, with Lyon being injured recently, Luukkonen will be taking the brunt of the load as Colten Ellis comes back. Hopefully, it does not disrupt the flow.
Sabres’ Best Players Are Playing Like They Should Be
If a team is going to get as hot as the Sabres are, they need to have their best players contributing like stars. They cannot have any of them being passengers, and waiting for everyone else to make a play. With that said, every one of their top players in Rasmus Dahlin, Tage Thompson, Alex Tuch, and Bowen Byram are all contributing at high-end rates. Thompson has five goals and 11 points in his last nine games, Dahlin has three goals and eight points since Dec. 9, Tuch has six points, is a plus-8 and has 13 blocked shots since Dec. 9, and Byram has five points, is a plus-8 and has 11 blocked shots during that same span.
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The wealth is getting spread out nicely when it comes to the scoring on this team, but at the end of the day, the Sabres are getting all-star caliber play from their best players. Could they get more out of some other players deeper in their roster? Yes. Have they needed it to succeed in their current state? No. The bottom line is that this team is finally looking like a cohesive unit. As they press on forward and look to continue this winning trend that they are on, the stars need to continue playing to that caliber, and the rest of the team needs to keep pitching in with their outstanding overall play.
