Sabres 1 – Avalanche 3 Buffalo killed off four Colorado penalties to remain at 100% efficiency this season at thwarting opponents power plays.
Sabres (C) Thompson scored his first of the season with teammates (RW) Tuch and (D) Dahlin earning their first assists contributing to the offense.
(C) Thompson scores from just three feet inside the blue line
Additionally, (G) Lyon once again played over .900% save percentage which he has consistently provided over the first three games of the season affording Buffalo the opportunity to win.
The Ottawa Senators arrive in Buffalo tomorrow as the Sabres host their division rivals for Buffalo’s fourth game of the season in an effort to strike the Senators down for the Sabres initial October victory.
Buffalo Winter vs Mike’s Magnificent Team A close low-scoring matchup between West Division teams to start the ESPN FHL regular season during the five-day week initial matchups.
A strong finish by both teams ensured that the lead MMT earned was kept and now has one up on BW for a playoff seeding, good news is that there are 21 more weekly matchups to battle for division supremacy.
This week’s matchup has Buffalo Winter versus George’s Great Team the division leader from the East Division and to start off this holiday BW has a full roster and GGT has goaltenders that are probable but only five skaters on the active roster with one skater sitting on the bench.
One move of note; had to drop unproductive (RW) Laine for (LW) Lehkonen the Avalanche player already scored twice with an assist as Montreal’s newest player has yet to produce enough to justify keeping him on the roster.
This Christopher Columbus Day the NHL begins early Monday afternoon with the Sabres and Avalanche puck drop at 12:30pm here along the Lake and the other nine games have four afternoon starts with the evening games beginning between 7pm and 8:30pm.
Sabres 1 – Bruins 3 (en) The Sabres played a tight game on the road hampering the Bruins offense by killing off all four of Boston’s power plays, and LW Zucker scored his first goal of the season halfway through the third period to make it a one goal game.
Newcomer (G) Lyon was once again solid in net posting a .933% save percentage and the defense was hitting and blocking shots affording the Sabres an opportunity to win.
The Sabres begin a three-game homestand this Christopher Columbus Day versus the Colorado Avalanche with the early afternoon holiday game starting at 12:30 pm tomorrow afternoon to kick off the NHL’s 10 game Monday schedule.
One NHL game to be played tonight at 7 pm between the Capitals and Rangers in NYC.
Sabres 0 – Rangers 4 (en) Here along the Lake fans anticipated a fresh beginning and a regular season geared towards finally making the playoffs.
Buffalo outshot New York and killed off all three Rangers power plays as newcomer (G) Lyon earned a .906% save percentage, and home fans can treat themselves to two sandwiches named after Tage Thompson at the KeyBank Center concession stands.
Tomorrow the Sabres are in Boston for their first road game of the regular season before a three-game homestand.
Panthers 7 – Lightning 0 Florida scored (8 goals, one was taken away) seven goals, six came on the power play and their number one goaltender earned a shutout, you might think that an offense ladened highlight video might be what everyone would be watching, but nope.
In reality the display was more akin to Paul Newman’s 1977 movie “Slap Shot”, each team earned well over 100 PIMs with Tampa Bay topping out with 182 penalty minutes and the Lightning did not even bother to take a shot on goal during the third period.
Watching the thuggery unfold on the ice, I was amazed that there were not more than the 322 PIMs whistled during this game as I witnessed out right two-on-ones, slow moving non-reacting officials to the on-ice violence, just like I did as a teenage in the 1970s.
One might think this a one-off and that it is only the last preseason game with some players desperately trying to make an impact and possible roster spot, but then again…if you look at Tampa Bay’s roster you see a different reason as an explanation for such an overabundance of on-ice violence.
For example, Tampa Bay Lightning (RW) Scott Sabourin who only played 12 NHL games since the 2020/21 season, last night he played one shift for 19 seconds and earned a five minute “match penalty” after a blatant hit to the face/head of a Florida player after a clean hit on the same player just two minutes into the first period.
Another example, Tampa Bay Lightning (D) Roman Schmidt 6″ 5″ 225lbs 22 years old that has never played in the NHL played three shifts last night for all of 2:06 minutes during the first seven minutes of the first period and earned 15 minutes in penalties which included a game misconduct.
Last example, Tampa Bay Lightning (D) Charle-Edouard D’Astous, has played 23 AHL games during the past five seasons, last night he earned 14 penalty minutes and a game misconduct just under three minutes into the second period.
Thankfully preseason is over and tomorrow they begin playing for real, no more donnybrooks or foul play, just explosive offense, solid defensive play, and great goaltending with competent and even handed officiating.
Buffalo Winter 