Sabres News & Rumors: Thompson, Levi & Another Playoff Run

Friday night’s game against the New Jersey Devils saw the Buffalo Sabres falling behind by two goals. Would the game turn out like their previous game against the Ottawa Senators? Against the Senators, they fell behind by a five-goal margin after the first period. However, against the Devils, despite giving up two goals and finding themselves down 2-0 by the end of the first period, the Sabres mounted an impressive comeback.

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The Sabres stormed back by scoring five unanswered goals over the final two periods. Their relentless pressure overwhelmed the Devils, resulting in a 5-2 victory for Buffalo on home ice.

Tage Thompson Played the Hero in Friday’s Win

Tage Thompson’s four-goal game led Friday night’s comeback. He was the undeniable Sabres first star of the game, recording a natural hat trick to erase the 2-0 deficit. He scored the team’s go-ahead goal with just 4:34 remaining in the third period, followed by an empty-netter in the final seconds to seal the win.

Despite falling behind early, the Sabres fought hard for their playoff lives. Their perseverance showed. Summoning a strong measure of determination, they hung in the game. Then Thompson’s scoring outburst became the key response.

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In addition, JJ Peterka scored an empty-net goal to extend his goal-scoring streak to five goals in four games. Alex Tuch continued his impressive point streak by registering two assists, extending his streak to seven games. He has scored a goal and added nine assists over that seven-game span. Devon Levi stood tall in the Sabres net, making 28 saves to secure the victory. 

Three Reasons Why the Sabres Beat the Devils

There were three key reasons the Sabres prevailed on Friday night. As noted, it’s hard to beat a team when one of its key players scores four goals. Thompson’s offensive surge almost single-handedly propelled the Sabres to the victory. 

Second, the Sabres are a determined team. Despite falling behind early, they showed the resilience they needed to stage a comeback and pull off the win. Finally, they rode Levi’s strong game in the crease. He made 28 saves and played a crucial role by stifling the Devils’ offense.

Devon Levi Settled Down as the Game Progressed

Levi is an interesting young goalie. Not only was he solid in the crease, but he seemed to enjoy the tough going. By the end of the game, he had stopped 28 of 30 shots. Although he had a shaky start, he settled in as the game progressed and looked composed between the pipes. In fact, during one sequence with the game still close, he took a hard shot off his goal mask that knocked him backward into the net. He got up, rearranged his mask, and had a huge smile on his face as he shook off the cobwebs. He seemed to relish the tight contest.

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In truth, the final score did not reflect how close the game was. As such, Levi’s play was instrumental in helping his team carry off the win. He made several key saves to keep the Devils from scoring additional goals that might have changed the game’s complexion.

Since being called up in mid-March, Levi has been solid in the net. He’s given up only five goals on 95 shots over three games. He has a record of 10-8-2 this season, with a 3.10 goals-against average and a .899 save percentage. After a shaky start to the season, Levi has emerged as a reliable goalie for the Sabres. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen will start in goal for the Sabres tonight against the Toronto Maple Leafs.

What’s Next for the Sabres?

Last night’s win kept the Sabres mathematically alive in the playoff race, but it also dealt a blow to the Devils’ late-season playoff push. The Sabres are playing out this regular season in a similar manner as they did last season. They are in a heated battle for a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. Can they make it? 

They’ll play another tough game tonight against the Maple Leafs.