Alex Tuch’s hat-trick leads the way for second big win after losing streak ended
Score: Buffalo Sabres 6-2 Chicago Blackhawks
Shots: BUF 35-17 CHI
Buffalo Sabres Goals: Benson (6), Tuch (10), Quinn (5), Cozens (8), Tuch (11, 12)
Chicago Blackhawks Goals: Bertuzzi (11), Jones (3)
Plus 1: Another Big First Period
With fourteen minutes gone, the Sabres had an 8-0 edge in shots and led the game 3-0. By the time a quick-moving first period ended, Buffalo led the game 4-0 with a 12-2 shot advantage. They were buzzing to start the game, and as each goal went in at a raucous KBC, they hemmed Chicago in even more.
Coming into this game the Sabres had a +7 goal differential in the first period, good enough for 8th best in the league. That is a bit of a flawed stat because Buffalo has been guilty of slow starts to games quite often this season, but have then made it up with multi-goal efforts to start games as well – today was the fourth time they have scored at least three goals in the first period.
One of the biggest issues during the thirteen-game losing streak was the Sabres not getting much secondary scoring. Tonight though they kept their jump from the blowout 7-1 win on the island on Monday night. Zach Benson got the scoring going off a delicious saucer pass from Rasmus Dahlin. Then Alex Tuch deflected a cannon from Tage Thompson to make it two and 15 seconds later Dylan Cozens stole the puck in center ice to feed Jack Quinn who roofed it over Petr Mrazek’s shoulder to make it three.
The Sabres weren’t done though, with Quinn returning the favor for Cozens with a drop pass and shield as Buffalo’s beleaguered second line center notched his eighth goal of the season with a big shot through the goalie.
Minus 1: Only A Minor Second Period Flop
I make it four games this season that the Sabres have chased the opponent’s starting goaltender and then have gone on to lose the game. When the struggling Blackhawks benched Mrazek at the first intermission with Arvid Soderblom going between the pipes, there was certainly a concern again.
However, Buffalo did something different this time. They kept skating like they had in the previous four periods and did not relent the offensive pressure as Chicago struggled to clear their zone time and again.
But with the minutes ticking down in the second stanza, the Sabres seemed to tire and as we have seen so many times this season, they almost immediately gave up a goal. Buffalo-born Nick (not Marcus!) Foligno, now captain in Chicago, logged a big hit on Jiri Kulich which ended up leading to a scrap that saw some 4-on-4 hockey. The Blackhawks finally were able to sustain puck possession in the Sabres zone.
On a quick break, Chicago’s top line of former Sabres Taylor Hall, #1 pick Connor Bedard and Tyler Bertuzzi combined to beat Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen low on his stick side to make it 4-1. That energized the visitors, but the Sabres did enough to fend them off to keep it at a three-goal lead going into the final period.
Plus 2: Turns Out They Can Still Be Awful
I wanted to believe after that second period that the Sabres wouldn’t completely capitulate but guess what, they look like they learned absolutely nothing and the veterans were as much to blame as the kids are.
They started the third period looking good but out of nothing gave up a second goal on an odd-man rush by Chicago, Seth Jones getting the goal as too many Sabres got caught out of position. Suddenly a packed KBC got a little hushed as that familiar sense of self-doubt started creeping in.
Barely a minute later Tuch took a lazy tripping penalty that put the Blackhawks on the man advantage. UPL had to make two saves as the Sabres did manage to see out the danger before #89 made amends for his mistake. Coming out of the penalty box Tuch gathered the puck and headed down the ice and from a narrow angle let off a shot that beat Soderblom over his shoulder to restore the three-goal margin and hopefully quell any thoughts of a comeback.
With the game mostly secured, the Sabres relented with not committing defensemen to the rush when they had the puck, which resulted in Chicago having more possession, but apart from Bedard, not too many players in the road whites knew what to do with it.
Plus 3: Tuch Shows Up
Syracuse-born Tuch has often been criticized for going missing in critical games. He’s certainly not the only player on the Sabres that has underwhelmed this season, but definitely bears more of a brunt because of his veteran status.
Tonight, we got to see both his good and bad sides. His first goal came from him standing in front of the goalie, and getting a tip-in in the dirty areas. The second and third were borne of his skating ability and dangerous shot. Tuch took a poorly-timed tripping penalty too when Chicago had just made it 4-2, and had the Blackhawks then scored on the power play to make it 4-3, you can almost guarantee this game would have ended in a loss too.
Final Thoughts
The Sabres got the job done tonight against the worst team in the league, and that’s about all you can ask from them right now. Even with a second win on the trot, Buffalo still remain one of the worst teams in the league in the standings, thanks to that terrible skid over the last month. It was nice to see a packed barn today, would have been too easy to give up on the team after that slump and their poor home record.
For now, they just need to get their heads down and keep winning games. The trade deadline is about ten weeks away, and GM Kevyn Adams will have to make a difficult decision or two in the coming weeks depending on if the Sabres look like they can finally end their playoff drought, or continue their run of utter futility.
Comment of the Game: Commenter Sabres-Winnipeg-1973 pretty much has the recipe for success for Buffalo; of course, execution night after the night remains the problem.
What’s most impressive tonight is not only are the Sabres playing at a very high pace, but they are making quick, decisive decisions with the puck. No dithering…. make a decision, and make the play.
Buffalo head to the Midwest on a four-game road trip now, starting with a game against the St Louis Blues on Sunday.