Author: Buffalo Winter

Fifth consecutive overtime game

Sabres 1 – Mammoth 2 (OT) Buffalo gets beat in overtime for the fourth time in the previous five games, I know the Sabres are earning points and I am grateful that Buffalo is above 500%, but last night’s shot output effort was paltry at best.

In net, (G) Lyon was fantastic earning a .943% save percentage while stopping 33 of 34 regulation shots giving Buffalo a great opportunity to win the game but getting outshot 15-5 during the second period and 12-3 during the third period is not going to get the job done.

Sabres Swedish (C) Ostlund scored his first NHL goal in his fifth game this season in what could be a preview of plenty more goals to come, especially with the line of Ostlund, Quinn, and Rosen.

The Sabres host the Blues Thursday night at 7 pm for the last of this three-game home stand before embarking on a four-game road trip.

Highest Score Earned

After four weekly matchups there is one undefeated team followed by three 3-1 teams including yours truly, it is too early to predict playoff seedings, yet ESPN FHL does and again I sit with an incredibly low 10% chance of making the playoffs and the winless team has more of a percentage chance to make the playoffs than me.

In the West there are three playoff contenders, and in the East, there seems to be just one team earning a playoff seeding.

This week’s matchup I am pitted against asher1961-1, my division rival/leader the one undefeated team in our league that I can share first place in our division with if I win this current weekly matchup.

Goaltenders Use Them or Not

Here is one team manager that has four goaltenders on the roster, and all four of them were starting which creates the pressure of which two would not play and hoping the two that are played win and collect positive points.

As you can see the team manager had two goaltenders producing negative points, as we know, goalies are a high-risk, high-reward type of player, for myself I avoid them all together.

Today’s Transactions

Three team managers including myself made at least one transaction today where Mike’s Magnificent Team made six moves in four minutes, probably well thought out before coming online and purging non-productive players.

Remember to check your roster daily before first face off so as to get every eligible player on the roster into the line-up, also the waiver wire can possibly provide more productive players for your team, so take the time to build a watch list and maintain that daily as well to watch trending players.

Buffalo Earns Shootout Victory

Sabres 4 – Capitals 3 (SO) I had to answer the door right after the National Anthems and when I sat down to watch the game less than three minutes after opening faceoff, it was 2-1 Capitals.

For the fourth consecutive game Buffalo had to play in overtime and this time it was pushed to a shootout and after each team had five opportunities the Sabres (D) Byram scores the only shootout goal on Buffalo’s fifth attempt for the win.

Buffalo has now beaten Washington 100 times during the regular season, last night (C) Thompson and (RW) Tuch each scored their fifth goal of the season and (RW) Rosen scored his first NHL goal with (D) Byram sealing the victory with his shootout goal.

The Sabres will play their second game of this three-game homestand Wednesday night at 7 pm versus the Utah Mammoth.

4 Wins 7 Losses (3 OT)

Sabres 3 Bruins 4 (OT) For the most part the Sabres played a good too great road game, they launched 40 shots on goal during regulation but did not get any in overtime, (G) Lyon had a poor performance (.818% save percentage) allowing two Boston goals in the first period on only a few shots, the Bruins finished the first period with 5 shots on goal.

Buffalo killed three of four penalties and scored on the powerplay, the Sabres out hit and out blocked the Bruins by a wide margin, all for naught as a Boston player scored on the Bruins third SOG during overtime to end the Sabres October record at 500%.

The Sabres have 14 games scheduled in November with eight home games affording Buffalo an opportunity to earn a winning record this Autumn, the first three games are at home beginning with the Washington Capitals tomorrow night at 7 pm.

Another OT point earned

Sabres 3 – Bluejackets 4 (OT) The game was decided when the officials whistled a phantom penalty against (RW) Tuch who was penalized for interference when replays highlight there was no interference, it was Columbus’ only power play.

Everything was not going well in the first period as Buffalo was outshot and fell behind 1-0 but the Sabres took it to another level scoring twice to take the 2-1 lead in the second period and then with 40 seconds remaining in the period a referee sees an infraction that was not committed affording Columbus an opportunity that they took full advantage of to tie the score at two.

The third period started great as the Sabres took less than three minutes into the period to score (It was (C) Dunne’s first NHL goal) and take the 3-2 lead, unfortunately the Bluejackets tied the game, and Buffalo let a second consecutive overtime game slip through their gloves.

Buffalo travels to Boston for a 7 pm game tomorrow night that closes out the 2025/26 October schedule with an opportunity to earn a winning record with a victory over their division rivals.