The Buffalo Sabres beat not only the cold windy weather, but they bested the San Jose Sharks as they shut them out 3-0. While the game had a slow start, they found their way out of the funk and got enough pucks past Kaapo Kahkonen to secure the win. While it would have been much nicer to see a more dominant game against a bottom-feeding opponent, a win is a win, and it comes with the hope of turning into the start of a hot streak.
Tale Of The Tape
The first period was a dragging slow start to this game as both teams were trying to find their bearings. They traded chances and kept each other chasing the puck around the ice in a very disorganized manner. By the end of the period, the score was 0-0, and there was a lot left to be desired.
By the time the second period rolled around, there was a definitive positive shift for the Sabres. Their legs were moving, they were skating hard, and they really found their groove. They kept the pressure on the Sharks, and they frustrated them enough to cause them to make the first mistake as Casey Mittelstadt scored the first goal of the game. Not too long after, they continued to frustrate the Sharks enough to draw a penalty, of which Alex Tuch scored the second goal of the game on the resulting powe-play. The period ended with a few more penalties taken by both sides, but it ended up being 2-0 going into the third.
The third period was more of the same from the second period until around the 10-minute mark. The Sabres once again upped the pressure on the Sharks and stymied them from getting many chances. In the closing three minutes of the game, Jordan Greenway missed an open net chance against the San Jose goaltender, but eventually deposited the puck into the empty net when the goalie was pulled to seal the deal at 3-0. In a game where the Sabres should have dominated, it feels like a great consolation prize to have gotten the shutout, especially after having been shut out against the Vancouver Canucks in their previous game.
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen Was The Star Of The Show
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen was easily the biggest part of this win. He stood tall when needed and was stoic and solid for the entire game. Any chance that the Sharks generated, he shut down with ease, and in doing so, earned his second career shutout. He now sits with a 10-9-2 record, and he will likely continue to hold the starting position based on his recent gameplay. In his last five games, he has only allowed three goals against him once and has allowed one or less in three of those five contests.
After a shaky end to the year in December, he looks like he has his confidence back, and that will only be a massive asset for the Sabres going forward. He has taken the net for himself, and if he continues to thrive, I do not see why he would be in a timeshare with Devon Levi going forward, anymore. He has better numbers and more consistent play, and it has not mattered what the opponent’s prowess has been, he has been a rock for the Sabres in January as a whole.
Thompson and Mittelstadt Led The Way
While Tage Thompson may not have come out of the game with a point, he was one of the Sabres’ best players on the ice all afternoon. He was skating harder than he had been all season, and he was finally being selfish with the puck and shooting it more. He finished the game with five shots, and he added some depth to his game by winning a majority of his face-offs as well (going 9/15). Should Thompson continue to have this shooter mentality, and play a little more selfish with the puck offensively, I think a big hot streak could be for him. That is, as long as the injury bug stays away from him.
As far as Mittelstadt is concerned, he continues to be Buffalo’s most reliable scoring threat for the 2023-24 season. He picks up another goal, putting him at 12 on the campaign, and that puts him in a three-way tie with Rasmus Dahlin and Alex Tuch for fourth on the team. Beyond that, he also leads the Sabres in points with 36 and has their highest plus-minus stat as a plus nine. His contributions all around the ice were noticeable against the Sharks, and he continues to be Don Granato’s “Swiss army knife” player that can be used in any situation, and with any combination of players. He is shaping out to be Buffalo’s MVP, and it is high time he gets recognition for it.
Takeaways and Sabres Next Games
The Sabres started struggling against a very bad Sharks team but eventually found their way to the win column. If it had been a game against a more dominant opponent, I do not believe that they would have escaped the first period without having a goal or two scored against them. They were lazy and disorganized, and I do not think that even the stellar play of Luukkonen could have saved them.
Related – Sabres’ Star Players Need To Have More Impact
If they keep up the momentum and improve on their mistakes from this game, their next games against the Chicago Blackhawks and Tampa Bay Lightning will go much smoother. Both are must-wins as the Sabres need to get on a significant hot streak. Beating the Blackhawks is more expected as they, like the Sharks, are not a top team this season, but the bigger win would be against the Lightning, as they are one of the division opponents that the Sabres need to pass if they still have playoff hopes.
