On Thursday night, except for rookie goalie Devon Levi, the Buffalo Sabres probably got what they deserved. They were sloppy at home against the Calgary Flames and it cost them a win. The final score was 4-3 for the Flames.
The Flames, now three games into a five-game Eastern road trip, responded with a goal each time the Sabres tied the score and scored their final two goals by forcing and taking advantage of Sabres’ turnovers.
For the Sabres, Tage Thompson, JJ Peterka, and Erik Johnson scored. Buffalo has now lost three of four regular season games. They have two more remaining on their home stand, and they desperately need to win to keep their early hopes for the playoffs alive.
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In this edition of Sabres News & Rumors, I’ll take a look at the player news from the game with a particular focus on Levi. He was, by far, the team’s best player.
Item One: Devon Levi Got Little Help from His Teammates
Levi, who was given his fourth straight start, stopped 33 shots. Although the Sabres are carrying three goalies, the coaching staff seems to have already put their faith in Levi. That makes sense because he ended last season with a 5-2 record after jumping straight to the NHL when his third collegiate season at Northeastern was completed.
The Flames challenged him all game. Despite making 32 saves, Levi couldn’t single-handedly make up for his team’s defensive woes. They left him hanging out to dry multiple times. While Levi was good, he was not up to the task of hero. It seemed that every time he made an impressive stop, his team’s mistakes forced him to make another one.
That said, Levi’s game was far from perfect. He simply didn’t pick up Jonathan Huberdeau’s goal in the first minute of the game. He also let in a weak one from Walker Duehr halfway through the first period.
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However, because the Sabres have so much offensive firepower, two mistakes should not have been that tough to overcome, and, overall, Levi showed moments of brilliance. There was just too little defensive support – when your team is a goal down and trying hard to score, taking a penalty for too many men is unforgivable. But that’s been the Sabres this season.
Item Two: Tage Thompson Scores His First Goal of the Season
Last season, Thompson had a breakout campaign with 47 goals. However, he’s been slow off the mark this season. He finally scored his first goal (and point) of the season against the Flames.
Thompson is a talented player who needs to generate more offense. Perhaps it’s too early to worry about his scoring, but he’s on pace for 22 points when he generated 94 last season. He’s also a minus-4.
Item Three: Rasmus Dahlin Is the Sabres’ Leading Scorer
In contrast to Thompson, defenseman Rasmus Dahlin has recorded points in three straight games and leads the team with four assists in four games. Coming off his own breakout season in 2022-23, with 15 goals and 73 points, Dahlin is expected to continue contributing offensively. He’s also an integral part of the team’s top power-play unit.
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Dahlin recently signed a lucrative eight-year, $88 million contract to stay with the Sabes long-term. He’s an important piece of the team’s offense, but the forwards have to step up a bit more.
Item Four: Erik Johnson Scores His First Goal in 69 Games
Erik Johnson, the 35-year-old veteran defenseman who spent 14 seasons with the Colorado Avalanche, scored his first goal since April 26, 2022 – or 69 regular-season games. While Johnson was happy to have contributed, he noted that he’s not known for his scoring – but it’s always a good feeling.
However, he also admitted that he would trade his goal for a win. It was his 89th career goal in his 924th NHL game. If he plays every game, he’ll hit the 1000-game mark at the end of the season.
What’s Next for the Sabres?
Head coach Don Granato gave the Flames credit for putting his team and his goalie on their heels. They got tons of shots on net and kept firing from every angle.
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He shared that the Flames “were intent on creating chaos and capitalizing on it better than we were. We wanted to pass our way into the net.”
However, his review of his own team’s play was simple: “We created our own mess tonight. We were sloppy.” He’s right.
