Despite losing a sloppy 5-1 decision to the Columbus Blue Jackets, spirits were still high when it comes to the Buffalo Sabres fan base. Then again, that’s generally what happens when you rip off a 10-game winning streak. That being said, a response on Tuesday night against the Vancouver Canucks was absolutely as important as each of those 10 wins.
With the power play struggling, the Sabres hoped to get a boost from the return of Jason Zucker. Though he didn’t have a point, the boost was felt and the Sabres jumped out to a 4-0 lead, managing to hold on for a 5-3 win over the Canucks.
The Thompson/Doan Duo is Fantastic
There has been a lot to love about the way the Sabres have been playing lately but perhaps the best of the best is the way the duo of Tage Thompson and Josh Doan have been playing on the top line. While it would be nice to see Noah Ostlund back on the top line, it is hard to ask for more than what Thompson and Doan have been doing.
Both scored on Tuesday night, including the pivotal empty net goal from Doan that stopped what seemed like an inevitable comeback from the Canucks. Doan has been excellent since coming over in an offseason trade, a true play driver who makes the Sabres tougher to play against.
The Sabres really needed a few key players to step up and make a difference. Thompson and Doan have clearly done that, becoming the focal point on offense along with Alex Tuch. They will be critical in helping the Sabres run off another winning streak.
Luukkonen at Home Continues to be Excellent
One of the most positive turnarounds this season has been the goaltending situation. Though it has been a platoon situation that may see an odd-man out, the Sabres have gotten their strongest goaltending since 2023-24.
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A big part of that has been the performance of Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, especially at home. With this win, Luukkonen is now 6-1-0 at home with an impressive 1.98 goals against average and .924 save percentage.
As the Sabres continue to find their footing, especially on the road, they will need to turn to goaltending. Aside from a late push, Luukkonen was lights out against the Canucks, ultimately turning aside 32 shots and making a few crucial stops in the win.
Those Late Pushes Can’t Happen
Speaking of those critical stops, the Sabres very nearly did what they have typically done: blow a big lead. Blowing big leads completely destroyed the 2024-25 season, and it looked like the Canucks were ready to tie things up after being down 4-0 with less than 10 minutes to go.
Within five minutes, it was 4-3 and the Sabres faithful were no doubt sweating. If not for Josh Doan’s empty net goal, we may all be feeling very different about last night’s game. Those are the pushes that the Sabres during this drought have become known for.
If you want to be a good team, you can’t leave the door open. It just goes to show that you truly have to put together a 60-minute performance because the Sabres were dominant for 50 minutes and still nearly blew it all.
Let the Good Times Roll
At the end of the day, a win is a win and the Sabres have 11 of them in their last 12 games. After a visit to Madison Square Garden to face the New York Rangers, the Sabres have five in a row at home and a chance to make even more headway in the standings.
Even more critical, the Sabres have a chance to gain ground and an advantage over teams like the Montreal Canadiens, Philadelphia Flyers, and Florida Panthers, who are all right there in the thick of the Eastern Conference playoff race.
