Month: April 2025

Perfect month continues…

Sabres 3 – Hurricanes 0 Buffalo has won eight of its last nine games, goaltender Reimer recorded his first shutout (31 career shutouts) for the Sabres last night as well as a personal consecutive win (7) streak.

Alas, Montreal beat Detroit last night which mathematically eliminates Buffalo from playoff contention this season, but the way our boys are playing now there is hope Lindy has the Sabres skating in the right direction.

And now for the 14th year in a row I look forward to the Sabres earning a playoff seeding, this time for the 2025-26 NHL season and this is not just regular hope but a real premonition of future success for Buffalo next season.

Buffalo won seven consecutive home games for the first time in 25 seasons, not since Halloween 1999 until near Thanksgiving that year have the Sabres won seven in a row at home, thanks in part to our Red & Black Brawny sweaters.

Buffalo won their season high fifth straight game as Center Thompson scored (44) for the fifth consecutive game, RW Tuch scored (34) his sixth shorthanded goal giving Buffalo nine on the season so far, and the Sabres scored twice on just five SOG during the second period.

Buffalo begins their final road trip with a three-game swing through Ohio and Florida, starting with the Blue Jackets Thursday night at 7 pm, Panthers on Saturday then finishing up Sunday with the Lightning.

Last week’s answer: Trick question, each man served as Head Coach at one point during the 1970s.

The Buffalo Sabres had 34 players that had played at least one game during their inaugural 1970-71 NHL season and only one of them was born in the United States of America.

Which one of these four Buffalo Sabres is a native of New York City?

A) Tracy Pratt

B) Jim Watson

C) Brian Perry

D) Mike McMahon

Winnipeg, Tampa Bay, Anaheim, Seattle, and Calgary

Jets 3 – Blues 1 (en) The number one team in the NHL hosted the hottest team in the NHL in a low shooting, low scoring, tightly contested game where each team failed to score on the power play, and ultimately the goaltenders were in charge.

Lightning 5 – Rangers 1 (en) Tampa Bay took less than two minutes to score three times in the first period and goaltender Vasilevskiy allowed one goal on 39 SOG, and the Rangers took 32 SOG in the first two periods and could only score once.

Ducks 3 – Oilers 2 In the spoiler role, the playoff eliminated Ducks beat the Pacific Division third place team Oilers who are sitting comfortably above the wild card line with games in hand.

Kraken 2 – Kings 1 Seattle severely out blocked Los Angeles 30-10 and stopped all three of the Kings power plays as both teams score only in the first period and the eliminated Kraken beat the Kings for the second time this season.

Flames 3 – Sharks 2 San Jose held a one nothing lead from the first period until near halfway through the third period when Calgary scored twice in two minutes for the 2-1 lead added another four and half minutes later for the solid 3-1 lead with less than five minutes in the game.

AROUND THE LEAGUE TONIGHT

Former Sabres earn secondary assist and power play goal

Sabres 6 – Bruins 3 (en) Buffalo takes the four game regular season series versus Boston 3-1 with a 16-7 goal differential, and during an impressive win last night Center Thompson was able to earn a Hat Trick.

Buffalo has won its last four games, and they are 10-4-0 (2 SO & 1 OT Wins) in their last 14 games to get within two games of pulling even with their regular season record and having six games (3 home & 3 road) remaining.

The Sabres offense has awakened highlighted by the statistic that only two teams in the Eastern Conference (Tampa Bay & Washington) have scored more goals than the Sabres this season.

Defenseman Bowen Byram playing in his first full season for Buffalo earned two assists last night to reach the 30-assist plateau giving the Sabres for the first time in their history three defensemen with 30 assists during the same season.

A perfect April continues as Buffalo wins the first three games of the month and can keep the pace going tomorrow night (7 pm) as Carolina visits here along the Lake.

Buffalo Beats Back Bolts

Sabres 3 – Lightning 2 (SO) Sabres goaltender Reimer has played spectacularly and has become the number one netminder in Buffalo and gives thanks, “So, you prepare leading up to the game, and then when it comes to game time, you just trust the work you put in and the talent the good Lord gave you”.

Center Thompson scored his 40th goal last night becoming the eighth Sabres player to have multiple 40 goal campaigns, and LW Zucker becomes one of Buffalo’s 20 goal scorers when he tied the game on the power play during the third period.

Overtime was entertaining as each team had quality opportunities and four SOG a piece but no goals, then the Sabres No. 1 goaltender Reimer slammed the net shut on both Tampa Bay shooters during the shootout and both Buffalo forwards RW Quinn and RW Tuch scored winning the game for the Sabres and the home crowd.

Around the League

There were four shutouts last night with Toronto, New Jersey, Los Angeles, and Ottawa blanking their opponents.

Pittsburgh surprises Dallas as C Crosby records the 14th Hat Trick of his career and the Penguins crush the Stars winning streak by scoring four times in the third period on a 17 SOG barrage to win 5-3 in Texas.

Boston blows everyone away as RW Pasternak scored his first natural Hat Trick earning his fifth 40 goal season, with his third goal of the night giving the Bruins a 5-0 lead and eventual 5-1 win.

The St Louis Blues now own this season’s (and their franchise record) winning streak record at 12 games and counting…the Blues sit solidly with the top wild card seeding in the Western Conference as they beat the guaranteed playoff team Colorado Avalanche by a 5-4 (en) score.

As for the rest of last night’s games…

Canucks 6 – Ducks 2

Canadiens 3 – Flyers 2

Hockey Club 4 – Jets 1

Knights 3 – Flames 2

Kraken 5 – Sharks 1