Yikes. The scoreboard might say 5-2 for the Buffalo Sabres, but this game should’ve been a Flyers win. But finally, for the first time in a long time, a goalie steals the Sabres a game—time for 3 thoughts.
UPL Madness
I don’t know what happened to Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen over the summer, but he looks like a new player out there. With 38(!) saves on 40 shots, UPL put on another masterclass for the world to see. And this time, it was desperately needed. His post-to-post game looks just as good as it always has, but so far this year, he has been more aggressive in his saves. His rebound control is better, and he makes the saves he has to make. If this kind of play continues, you have to wonder what the Sabres do with Devon Levi. I personally would rotate UPL and Levi as a tandem. Go with the hot hand and let the young men hone their game.
A Couple Firsts
If you didn’t know, the Sabres called up Brandon Biro to replace an injured Zach Benson. Biro was an undrafted free agent, who signed with the Sabres in 2020. He has looked great in the AHL the past three seasons, and it’s nice to see him get a chance. However, I did not expect him to collect his first two NHL goals tonight. He worked hard and got plenty of ice time, ultimately turning it into a goal off a great feed from Tage Thompson and an empty netter courtesy of Casey Mittelstadt. You love to see it. Along with that, Owen Power netted his first of the campaign. Another off of a Tage Thompson feed.
Defensive Woes
The Sabres knew what was coming tonight, and yet still struggled against a stereotypical, hard-nosed team coached by John Tortorella. You could tell that defensemen like Rasmus Dahlin and the aforementioned Power were struggling with the rough forecheck from this Flyers team. And if this Sabres squad is serious about the playoffs, they need to get used to this kind of hockey. There cannot be sloppy giveaways and bad passes to nobody. UPL, Eric Comrie, or Devon Levi are not going to make 38 saves every night. This team needs to get consistent on the defensive side of the puck or they will not be sniffing the postseason.
And so, that ends another quick Sabres postgame. They get to face this Flyers team again on November 3rd. Hopefully, I’m not stressed out the entire time while I watch it. Go Sabres!
ITR 46: Offseason Chaos – Inside The Rink
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