3 Takeaways From the Sabres’ 5-2 Win Over the Blue Jackets

Losing to the Ottawa Senators 2-1 on Wednesday stung for the Buffalo Sabres in several ways. Losing to a division rival is hard enough but failing to score more than a single goal while finally getting strong goaltending felt like one of those “no two things can go right at the same time” games for the Sabres.

On Friday against the Columbus Blue Jackets, the Sabres left no question. They came out from the start and had their best and most complete game of the season, dominating the Blue Jackets on their way to a 5-2 win.

Josh Norris Has Gotten the Monkey Off His Back

A lot has been said about the Sabres’ third line, particularly Josh Norris and Ryan McLeod. Jiri Kulich returned to the lineup and got McLeod’s place in the lineup, while Norris and his $7.95 million annual salary got a stay of execution and another chance.

Thankfully, Norris took full advantage of that opportunity with his best game of the season. He scored the second goal of the night, a nice little drag and release that beat Jet Greaves through his pads. He scored again in the second period, a nifty backhand after a tremendous pass by Zach Benson.

It was nice to see Norris play such a confident game. He was buzzing all night, and you could see how genuinely happy his teammates were when he scored. He doesn’t need to go on a tear offensively, but playing that kind of complete game is a boost to this lineup.

Luukkonen Finding a Groove

You would be hard-pressed to find any player more criticized this season than Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen. Luukkonen has quietly been playing better of late, even holding back-to-back opponents to just two goals in each outing.

He was very good against Columbus, turning aside 24 of 26 shots on the night. The two that beat him were just laser beams labeled for the top corner that most goalies would have trouble turning aside.

It was as encouraging an effort out of Luukkonen as there has been this season. He and Colten Ellis have been playing well after a turbulent start. When Alex Lyon returns, the goaltending rotation should be a formidable part of the team once again.

Benson and Power Continue to Dominate

On just about a nightly basis, the Sabres are driven by anywhere from two to four guys. More often than not, those two guys are Benson and Owen Power. That proved to be the case once again, with both controlling a significant share of the expected goals and chances when on the ice.

Benson has arguably been the best forward for the team this season. He isn’t quite at the level of production Jack Quinn and Tage Thompson have been at, but he does so much away from the puck and creates discomfort for opponents. His playmaking also seems to have leveled up, and his assist on Norris’ second goal shows that.

Power, meanwhile, was once again the team’s best defenseman. He had three assists against Columbus, bringing him up to 12 on the season. He’s also controlling the puck more effectively, with his pairing earning 50.4% of the expected goals, and is in the 83^rd percentile in defensive rating according to Hockey Stat Cards. Power is dominating in a way that gives the Sabres two elite defensemen at both ends of the ice.

The Best Game of the Season

This was far and away the best performance the team has had all season. The five goals are obviously a nice bit of work, but the Sabres controlled the play and generally limited the Blue Jackets at both ends of the ice. If not for two perfectly placed shots, one at the very end of the game, Luukkonen could have earned the shutout.

The biggest thing for the Sabres right now is stringing these efforts together. They have won four of five and have a nice bit of momentum going. Do this for a month, and the Atlantic Division will look a lot different.