On Monday night, the Buffalo Sabres put up a dominating road performance to defeat the Seattle Kraken 6-2. Despite an early Kraken lead, courtesy of the recently-re-signed Jordan Eberle, the Sabres responded quickly and decisively. Jeff Skinner, Tage Thompson, and Alex Tuch all contributed to the first-period scoring frenzy.
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Skinner’s hat trick led the Sabres. His first goal marked the beginning of a swift onslaught, in which the Sabres scored three goals within the first six minutes of the game. It didn’t take long before Kraken goaltender Joey Daccord was pulled. Owen Power added another goal for Buffalo, while goaltender Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen made 32 saves to guarantee the win.
Item One: Three Reasons the Sabres Beat the Kraken
There were three reasons the Sabres beat the Kraken last night. First, their relentless offensive pressure was overwhelming. Led by Skinner’s hat trick, Buffalo was able to capitalize on their scoring chances. The Sabres seized control early on and maintained their momentum throughout the game.
Second, once again, Buffalo got solid goaltending from Luukkonen. He stopped 32 of 34 shots to stifle any thought of a Kraken comeback. His consistent play between the pipes and his ability to restrict the Kraken’s scoring chances laid a strong foundation and gave the team the confidence it needed to counteract any and almost all Kraken’s offensive threats.
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Third, the Sabres’ high energy level was instrumental in coming back after falling behind early. The team swiftly bounced back from Eberle’s goal. Head coach Don Granato praised the team’s response and highlighted their outstanding energy level and quick retaliation after conceding the opening goal.
Item Two: Coach Granato Praises His Team’s Fire
Granato praised his team’s high energy intensity and swift retaliation as key facets of their victory over the Kraken. Granato also noted that his team’s success correlates with their energy level. His positive assessment underscored the Sabres’ determination and ability to overcome challenges, ultimately contributing to their decisive win.
Specifically, Granato noted that he “liked the response. I thought it was a great response. I thought our energy level was high, and whenever we play with a high energy level, we play well, and we did tonight. The response after giving up the goal really early, to respond really quick after that, was outstanding.”
Item Three: Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen’s Star Is Rising This Season
Once again, Luukkonen led his team with excellent goaltending. Last night’s performance was characteristic of his recent consistency. He’s now gone 13 games without allowing more than three goals, and he’s won nine of those games. After giving up an early goal and a fluky power-play marker in the first period, Luukkonen put up a wall and limited the Kraken’s offensive opportunities the rest of the way.
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With this win, the Finnish goalie’s season record now stands at 23-17-3, with a nifty 2.39 goals-against average and a .915 save percentage over 44 games. The Sabres play the Vancouver Canucks tonight, so Luukkonen will likely give way to backup Devon Levi.
Item Four: Jeff Skinner Is Hot in Hat Trick Game
Skinner scored three goals on six shots. He also finished the game with a plus-3 rating. Interestingly, he scored a goal in each period. It was Skinner’s third multiple-goal game of the season.
What a nice March he’s having. In the first three weeks of the month, he has five goals and four assists in nine games. He’s now put up 24 goals and 45 points in 61 games on the season. If the Sabres continue to push for a playoff spot, the veteran forward’s offensive output will be crucial. He has a chance to have another 30-goal season if he can maintain his current form over the final month.
What’s Next for the Sabres?
The Sabres’ victory keeps them in contention for a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. They trail the Washington Capitals by four points with 13 games remaining. Similar to last season, the Sabres are pushing at the right time.
However, did they put themselves so far behind the eight-ball with their early season troubles that they will come up just short again? Should they make the postseason and Luukkonen continue his solid performance, the team might have the young horses to make noise in the postseason. It isn’t beyond the realm of possibility. Now, they just have to gain a postseason berth.
