Though they ultimately fell just short of their goal of ending their dreaded postseason drought, the 2022-23 season was one to remember for the Buffalo Sabres. The team has, at last, righted the ship and turned in their best showing in over a decade, finishing just one point out of a playoff spot and bringing a lengthy stretch of futility and frustration to an end.
Sabres fans have become well-accustomed to not having much to celebrate at season’s end, but this summer, they have a treasure trove of memories to keep them occupied. The list is long, and narrowing it down won’t be easy, but now that the dust has settled, let’s look back at what moments stood out the most in what was a very special season in Buffalo.
Honorable Mention No. 1 — Ryan Miller Night
This one technically doesn’t count since it wasn’t game related, but no list of the best Sabres moments from this season would be complete without including Ryan Miller’s number retirement ceremony. Fans sold out KeyBank Center on Jan. 19 to witness the commemoration of one of the best players in Sabres’ history, and they were not disappointed. The presence of a host of former players and coaches made the vibe all the more grand, resulting in an evening jam-packed with emotion, nostalgia and gratitude.
It was a victory for fans and the organization alike. In honoring Miller, the Sabres recognized the innumerable good he did both on and off the ice in Buffalo, but they also atoned for the embarrassment that was Dominik Hasek’s paltry number retirement ceremony in 2015. It was a perfectly fitting tribute to a man who carried the team for nearly a decade and showed that while the Sabres are improving as a team, they are as an organization as well.
Honorable Mention No. 2 — UPL Stymies Colorado
The Sabres had issues in their own zone all year long. Their goaltenders had a tough go of it, and a lackluster defense in front of them only compounded the issue, but this game was an exception. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen took over as the No. 1 goaltender in November and largely played well, giving the Sabres a boost they weren’t getting previously. He faced arguably his toughest test of the season on Dec. 15 in Colorado, but he chose that moment to shine his brightest.
The 23-year-old stood on his head against the defending Stanley Cup champions and made a career-high 40 saves against the lethal Avalanche onslaught to help the Sabres snatch a 4-2 victory. It was one of the team’s most unlikely wins of the season and showed that the Finn has what it takes to be a force in goal going forward. He still has growing to do, but if this showing was anything to go off, things are looking very promising.
And now, onto the list.
5. Lyubushkin Steals One In Tampa
On Feb. 21, the Sabres were handed a particularly demoralizing loss against the arch-rival Toronto Maple Leafs. Ryan O’Reilly made his debut for the Maple Leafs in Buffalo and proceeded to score a hat-trick (the second former Sabre to do so this season after Jack Eichel in November). It seemed to take the wind out of the team’s sails, and the always-dangerous Tampa Bay Lightning ahead on the schedule rubbed salt in it further. The Sabres rose to the occasion in Tampa, however, and found themselves locked in an air-tight battle.
Lightning defenseman Erik Cernak caused an uproar when he sent Sabres captain Kyle Okposo to the locker room with an elbow to the head that went unpenalized (albeit he was later suspended). Buffalo would get revenge, though, and it came from the unlikeliest of sources.
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With the game tied at five in overtime and the Sabres shorthanded, defenseman Ilya Lyubushkin stripped Lightning captain Steven Stamkos in the Buffalo zone. The Russian, not known for his speed, charged up ice on a breakaway, beating goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy on the short side to win the game. It was his first goal in a Buffalo uniform, and it gave the team one of its most memorable victories of the season. Lyubushkin’s first season with the Sabres may have been unremarkable, but he’ll always have that moment to hang his hat on.
4. “Holy Mackerel, Roll The Highlight Film”
One of the biggest reasons for the Sabres’ success this season was the performance of Tage Thompson. The towering centerman proved that his breakout in the previous campaign was not a fluke, and he established himself as one of the top scorers in the NHL. A hat-trick of goals and assists vs. the Detroit Red Wings on Halloween and a stunning five-goal torching of the Columbus Blue Jackets in December were both incredibly impressive, but the moment that dropped the most jaws came on Nov. 28 against Tampa Bay.
The Sabres came out flat against the Lightning, and the 2-0 score towards the end of the first period did not reflect how badly they were getting outplayed. But Thompson then entered the proceedings, intercepting the puck in front of the Lightning net and scoring a goal so impressive that it’s difficult to describe in words. It was one of the prettiest tallies in Sabres history, and the NHL even named it No. 10 on its Top 15 Goals of the Year list (though it probably should have been higher than that).
3. Madness in Overtime
A recurring theme this season (and on this list) was the Sabres’ dramatics in overtime, and this was the best example by far. Jan. 7’s contest against the Minnesota Wild in Buffalo may have been the NHL’s game of the year in terms of sheer entertainment value, and the crowd was buzzing all night long. The matchup was a brawny see-saw battle that featured four lead changes, three unanswered goals by both teams and the Sabres tying the game with less than three minutes left in regulation. Remarkably, the extra period managed to surpass even that.
The five-minute overtime was nothing short of bonkers, with only one whistle and goaltenders Luukkonen and Marc-Andre Fleury both making a number of huge stops to keep the action going. And to their credit, the referees stayed out of the proceedings and let the teams play, preventing a spectacular contest from being sullied.
The drama finally came to an end when Victor Olofsson slammed a one-time feed home with 18 seconds remaining as the crowd exploded, completely and utterly spent from the epic they had witnessed. It would be tough to decide what the win of the year was for the Sabres, but this one is certainly near the top of that list.
2. Anderson Calls It A Career
Though he may have looked like a throw-away signing in 2021, Craig Anderson quickly proved to be quite the opposite for the Sabres, as he helped give veteran experience and influence to a team that desperately needed it. Despite being the NHL’s oldest goaltender, Anderson turned in two very strong seasons with the team and did just about everything he could to help turn things around. It would be difficult for even the most cynical Sabre fan to not admire and respect his efforts.
When Anderson was tapped to start Buffalo’s home closer on April 13, the writing was on the wall that it would be his last, and he confirmed such after the game (from “‘This is it’: Craig Anderson caps remarkable NHL career with 30 saves in Sabres OT win”, The Buffalo News, 4/13/2023). Recognizing his dedication, the team and fans alike gave him a truly heartwarming farewell. Head coach Don Granato had Anderson’s sons Jake and Levi read the lineup in the locker room beforehand, and they, along with his wife Nicholle, greeted him at the Zamboni entrance afterward.
The game itself, which was fittingly against his longtime Ottawa Senators, was won by the Sabres 4-3 (yes, in overtime). It was the 319th victory of Anderson’s career, and the Sabres all rushed to embrace him afterward. To make it even more of a tearjerker, the Senators, led by captain Brady Tkachuk, lined up to congratulate him as well. It was a grand and highly satisfying sendoff for one of the best American goaltenders of all time, and nobody can deny how deserving he was of it.
1. The Levi Era Begins
Few prospects in recent Sabres history have garnered as much excitement as Devon Levi. Fans eagerly awaited his arrival after he was acquired from the Florida Panthers in 2021, and their patience was rewarded in March. The goaltender signed his entry-level contract after the NCAA season ended and made his highly-anticipated NHL debut on March 31. Since fans are hoping that he’ll become the team’s next big netminder, the hype was through the roof for the Quebecois, and he lived up to it.
Facing a stacked New York Rangers team in a game the Sabres desperately needed to win, Levi was not daunted and allowed just two goals on 33 shots. He made a number of impressive saves to keep the game knotted, and his team picked him up. Tied at two (you guessed it, in overtime), Jeff Skinner snuck through the Ranger defense and caught Jaroslav Halak by surprise to end the game and give Levi a well-earned first professional victory. But rather than take the spotlight for himself, Skinner immediately skated the length of the ice to embrace the newcomer, and the rest of the team followed suit.
That momentum carried the Sabres forward, and though they missed the playoffs yet again, it helped them finish the season on a high note. It was the best and most memorable moment of the year, not only because it fully displayed the culture that the team has developed but also because it showed that maybe, just maybe, good things are coming down the road.
Fans Can’t Wait for Next Season
After such a strong showing, excitement for hockey in Buffalo is at its highest level in quite some time, and the new season is already eagerly anticipated. The Sabres have already made a few strong moves in free agency to improve their defense, and it makes their chances all the better. The team will have to continue to work to maintain its upward trend and can’t afford to take anything for granted. But one thing is for certain — the Sabres are back.
