The floodgates have opened. The Buffalo Sabres steamrolled the New York Rangers 6-1, defeating one of the top teams in the Eastern Conference. The Sabres found the right combination of puck possession, finish, goaltending, and special teams success that all contributed to the impressive win.
The Sabres were quick to pounce on the Rangers, with Rasmus Dahlin scoring 26 seconds into the game. It was the lone goal of the first period.
Buffalo exploded in the second period for four goals, chasing Rangers goalie Igor Shesterkin from the net in favor of Jonathan Quick. Dylan Cozens, Tage Thompson, Jordan Greenway, and Sam Lafferty scored as 10 of the 12 Sabres forwards registered points in the period.
An odd deflection by Will Cuylle up and over Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen cost him his shutout, but the Finnish netminder was strong once again in net. Zach Benson scored as well in the third period to cap off the scoring for Buffalo.
Quick Starts to Periods
It was the third straight period Buffalo scored within the first minute. On Tuesday, against the Ottawa Senators, the Sabres notched goals 17 seconds into the second and 21 and 37 seconds into the third.
Quick starts to periods were a foreign concept to the Sabres for most of last season and the beginning of this one. The newfound boost of energy coming out of the dressing room not only is putting Buffalo on the board but also helping them carry play through heavy portions of each period.
All Four Sabres Lines Contributed
The four Sabres goals in the second period were all at even strength. They were also scored by each of Buffalo’s forward lines.
Cozens finished off a great cycle by him and his wingers, Benson and Jack Quinn. JJ Peterka found Thompson in the high slot for a big wrister from the Sabres leading scorer. Jason Zucker made a great play to steal the puck along the boards in the offensive zone, walked in, and found Greenway with an open net.
Then came Lafferty’s first of the season, as Beck Malenstyn made a great play to get the fourth line on the board. Head coach Lindy Ruff mentioned that he’s learning that rolling four lines on this team is beneficial. If each line can continue to make plays, the coaching staff will certainly have no problem in doing so.
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen Solid Again
What once looked like a battle for the number one job is becoming Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen’s once again this season. It was another great performance by Luukkonen, consistent and steady in his positioning and foiling the toughest Rangers chances.
According to Evolving-Hockey, Luukkonen saved 2.86 goals above expected, topping his “A+” 2.8 number against the Senators. He has now stopped 83 of 87 shots over his last three games.
This article first appeared on Buffalo Hockey Now and was syndicated with permission.
