3 Takeaways From the Sabres’ 2-1 Game 5 Loss to the Bruins

After a dominant 6-1 win on the road in Game 4, the Buffalo Sabres were riding high. The opportunity to close out the series in front of a raucous home crowd is something that Sabres faithful could have only dreamt of.

The game was without the electricity of the previous one, a battle for quality shots that both teams largely lost. In the end, Boston’s biggest star got the job done in overtime, giving the Bruins a 2-1 win and a little life heading back to Boston for Game 6.

Setting the Tone

It felt like it should have been a storybook night for the Sabres. During the Canadian national anthem, singer Cami Clune’s mic cut out. After realizing what was happening, the home crowd took over and filled in for her in an incredible moment. Clune got a new mic for the American rendition, and we were off to the races.

It was the kind of moment that should have set the tone for a big night for the Sabres. The Sabres even scored a power play goal early. If they could have capitalized on a few crazy scrums in front of Bruins goalie Jeremy Swayman, we could be sitting here talking about a much different outcome.

Still, it was nice to see the Buffalo crowd galvanize behind the young singer and make an incredible moment. A lot has been said about how special the Sabres fan base is, and this is just one of many moments that illustrate that fact.

The Elephant in the Room

The loss is bad enough, but it is far from the biggest story coming out of Game 5. In the first period, Noah Ostlund left the ice with an apparent knee injury and did not return. Though nothing solid has come out since, the early prognosis is not good.

This is a big deal for the Sabres. Since coming in for an injured Josh Norris in Game 3, Ostlund has had a visible impact on the game while centering a line with Josh Doan and Zach Benson. In the Game 3 win, he had a goal and an assist while showing incredible patience and vision.

Losing Ostlund long-term is a big deal. On the plus side, Norris is available and would likely reclaim his spot between Benson and Doan. Hopefully, he can step up and fill in the gap left by Ostlund and the Sabres can close the series out in Boston.

Peyton Krebs Continues to Elevate His Game

One of the bright spots in what felt like a slog of a night was the play of Peyton Krebs. Coming into this season, Krebs had done well in a bottom-six role, but it seemed like that might be his ceiling. Late in the regular season, he emerged as a viable option on the top line with Alex Tuch and Tage Thompson.

In these playoffs, Krebs has taken his game to another level. Coming into Game 5, he had a point in all four games, including a goal and an assist in the dominant Game 4 win. He dazzled at times in Game 5, including one possession late in the game that brought the crowd to its feet.

What Krebs’ ceiling is remains to be seen, but being able to elevate his game when it matters most is a good sign. Don’t be surprised if he plays a big part in Game 6 in Boston on Friday.

It’s on to Boston

It would be all too easy to focus on where things went wrong in Game 5. The team is moving on and will hopefully grab its third victory in Boston on Friday night. Things might feel different if they laid an egg at home, but it was a tight contest that easily could have gone in their favor if one of the net-front scrums had produced a goal.

Even if Ostlund doesn’t play on Friday, things should be a bit smoother. Thompson and others looked spent by the end of Game 5 after Ostlund went out, having to fill in on his line. With more balance lines on Friday, hopefully the Sabres will have their legs back and take it to the Bruins.