After a couple terrible games in a row, the Sabres came out hot today in a matinee at home against the Panthers, winning 5-3 and playing solid hockey.
I didn’t blog Saturday’s 4-1 loss at home to Utah, nor did I watch the game, but we’ve been terrible to start this season. Gotta show some signs of life today.
We looked pretty good early, generating some decent looks in front of the Florida net and were rewarded with the first goal of the game as Josh Doan stole the puck in the Florida zone, went down the ice for a beautiful give and go with Peyton Krebs to put Buffalo up 1-0, 5:58 into the game. With 9 minutes left in the period though, Colton Ellis made a save on a long shot from Florida, but gave up a huge rebound that Anton Lundell just threw at the net and it went through the five hole on Ellis and in the net. Pretty pathetic goal to give up. The Sabres took the lead back on the power play with 4:07 left in the first with a bomb of a slap shot from up top by the captain, Rasmus Dahlin. What a shot. Very good first period for the Sabres. We shockingly looked solid.
The Panthers looked better to start the second period, and 6:26 into the period, they made it a 2-2 tie, with a shot from the point on the power play from Seth Jones, beating Ellis five hole again and trickling towards the goal line for an easy goal for former Sabre Sam Reinhart to tap into the net. Another horrendous goal to give up for Ellis and that chased him out of the net, getting replaced by UPL. The Sabres answered right back though, with Ryan McLeod getting his first goal of the season, getting up to the net, dangling Schmid after quick end to end passing from Power and Zellweger to put Buffalo up 3-2 with 8:35 to go in the second period. Beauty of a play and fantastic finish for McLeod. Just about two minutes later with 6:19 left in the second, Sam Reinhart got his second of the game, on the power play once again, tapping in a beautiful behind the back pass from Brady Tkachuk off a rebound into the empty net, with UPL. We’re falling apart here.
The Sabres power play kept rolling in the third, with Zach Benson feeding a cross crease pass in front to Noah Ostlund to put the Sabres up 4-3, 7:15 into the third period. Tage Thompson came down the slot and ripped it to give the Sabres their first two goal lead of the game, a huge one, making it 5-3 with 6:40 left in regulation.
FINAL: Sabres 5, Panthers 3
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DeaOx-vJu2s/?cplk=Y3h3MTFyeW9kazg5
Really solid win. I thought we looked good today, on both ends of the ice. Especially offensively. Much needed win. I did think both goals that Ellis gave up early were horrible, continuing to prove how much of an issue goaltending is for this team. Rasmus Dahlin, after scoring early in the game, left the game and didn’t return with an injury about halfway through the second period, so hopefully it’s something minor and the captain is back quickly.
Let’s get a Bills win to go with it tonight!
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