Top Five Moments of the Buffalo Sabres’ Season So Far
Jan 6, 2015; Newark, NJ, USA; The Buffalo Sabres celebrate a goal by Buffalo Sabres center Mikhail Grigorenko (25) on New Jersey Devils goalie Cory Schneider (35) during the second period at Prudential Center. Mandatory Credit: Ed Mulholland-USA TODAY Sports
For Buffalo Sabres fans – or anyone who follows the National Hockey League – it’s easy enough to point out the negative spins of the Buffalo Sabres’ season so far.
With the season more than half finished, the team sits at 30th in the NHL and is on an 11-game losing streak. Anyone can look at the standings and statistics and point out this negative number, or that one.
The struggle is real, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t any positive moments to reflect back on.
During this NHL All-Star break, let’s take a look back at what’s happened since October, and five of the best moments of the Buffalo Sabres 2014-2015 NHL season to date.
Of course, there are plenty of moments that didn’t quite make my top-five cut, including Philip Varone‘s first multiple-goal game of his NHL career, or the off-ice moments of Zemgus Girgensons being named a starter for the NHL All-Star Game after a rally from his hometown fans in Latvia to ensure him a spot at the game.
My point is this: it’s super easy to focus on the negatives, but if just for a moment, let’s switch things up and think about some of the more positive moments that the Buffalo Sabres have seen so far in the 2014-2015 NHL season.
Next: Sam Reinhart Makes NHL Debut
Oct 14, 2014; Raleigh, NC, USA; Buffalo Sabres forward Sam Reinhart (23) before the game against the Carolina Hurricanes at PNC Arena. The Buffalo Sabres defeated the Carolina Hurricanes 4-3 in a shootout. Mandatory Credit: James Guillory-USA TODAY Sports
5. Sam Reinhart Makes NHL Debut
One of the most-hyped moments for the Buffalo Sabres this season was the NHL debut of second-overall draft pick Sam Reinhart.
October 9, 2014 — exactly 104 days after the Buffalo Sabres selected Sam Reinhart with the second selection of the 2014 NHL Entry Draft, the 18-year-old center got his first chance at playing in the big league.
Reinhart made his NHL debut in the Buffalo Sabres’ home-opener against the Columbus Blue Jackets.
It was a moment many Buffalo Sabres fans and media alike had been waiting for; Reinhart saw over 13 minutes of ice time in his NHL debut, playing 17 shifts and winning 26.7 percent of his face-offs taken.
Although he stayed in Buffalo for just nine games before being returned to his junior club in Kootenay, Reinhart left many Sabres fans wondering what he could be capable of if he’s allowed to play top-line minutes in the future with the NHL club.
Next: A Rally Against the New York Islanders
Dec 27, 2014; Buffalo, NY, USA; Buffalo Sabres left wing
Tyler Ennis(63) celebrates with goalie
Jhonas Enroth(1) and right wing
Chris Stewart(80) after defeating the New York Islanders 4-3 in a shootout at First Niagara Center. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Hoffman-USA TODAY Sports
4. Third-Period Rally Against NYI
Skipping around in the season, let’s move forward to December 27, 2014. The struggling Buffalo Sabres were on a four-game losing streak, hosting the New York Islanders.
Things didn’t start off well for the Buffalo Sabres. Nick Leddy gave the Islanders a 1-0 lead less than five minutes into the game. The Islanders then scored two goals in 3:09 – both from the hands of John Tavares – to take a demanding 3-0 lead in the second period.
When the teams hit the ice for the third period, things didn’t look great. A team that had just lost four games in a row was facing a 3-0 deficit with just twenty minutes remaining in the game. Would they make it five losses in a row?
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The outstanding answer to that: NO.
For just the second time in franchise history, the Buffalo Sabres overcame a 3-0 deficit with three goals in the third period. Nicolas Deslauriers kicked things off before Zemgus Girgensons and Chris Stewart notched two goals in 1:50. Before you knew it, things were tied up at three.
And the Buffalo Sabres completed the comeback, forcing the game to overtime and then to a shootout.
Tyler Ennis notched the only goal of the shootout, and the Buffalo Sabres a) killed a four-game losing streak b) completed the comeback and c) shocked many, particularly because the win came against a hot Isles team that had a record of 23-11-1, compared to the Sabres’ record of 14-19-3.
Next: A Pair of First NHL Goals
Dec 20, 2014; Buffalo, NY, USA; Buffalo Sabres left wing
Johan Larsson(22) celebrates his first career NHL goal with teammates during the third period against the Colorado Avalanche at First Niagara Center. Colorado beats Buffalo 5 to 1. Mandatory Credit: Timothy T. Ludwig-USA TODAY Sports
3. A Pair of First NHL Goals
The month of December was particularly a good one for two Buffalo Sabres players: Johan Larsson and Tim Schaller, who both scored their first NHL goals in back-to-back nights.
It began with Larsson on December 20 against the Colorado Avalanche.
The young forward was called up from the AHL’s Rochester Americans just mere hours prior to the game; in fact, he was called up so late that he missed warm-ups, but made it in time for puck drop. He was called up to replace an ill Matt Moulson and made it to the First Niagara Center with “about two minutes left in warm-ups,” according to his recollection of the night.
Despite the late call-up, Larsson has the game of his life, scoring his first NHL goal against Calvin Pickard.
The following day, the Buffalo Sabres traveled to Boston to face the Bruins, and Schaller notched his first NHL goal after being called up earlier that day due to the multitude of injuries and illnesses affecting the Sabres.
Perhaps the best part: he got the chance to score his first goal in front of his parents. Schaller is a native of Merrimack, New Hampshire, and his parents were able to make it to the game that night.
This marked the first time in Buffalo Sabres history that a pair of players notched their first NHL goals on consecutive nights since March 2nd and 3rd, 2007, when Michael Ryan and Nathan Paetsch accomplished the feat.
Next: A Four-Game Winning Streak
Dec 29, 2014; Ottawa, Ontario, CAN; Ottawa Senators center
David Legwand(17) faces-off against Buffalo Sabres center
Brian Flynn(65) in the first period at the Canadian Tire Centre. Mandatory Credit: Marc DesRosiers-USA TODAY Sports
2. A Four-Game Winning Streak
From December 9 until December 15, life with the Buffalo Sabres was absolutely outstanding.
That stretch saw the Buffalo Sabres win four consecutive games, beating the Los Angeles Kings, Calgary Flames, Florida Panthers and Ottawa Senators. The 13-16-2 Sabres had also won 10 of their last 13 games. All four of the games in that stretch were played on home ice, too.
In addition, the team had a six-game home winning streak going, the longest such streak since January 17 – February 15, 2007 – the year of the President’s Trophy-winning Buffalo Sabres.
That four-game streak saw the Sabres shut out the Stanley Cup Champions by a score of 1-0 thanks to a power-play goal by Tyler Ennis. The team then defeated Calgary by a score of 4-3, despite being outshot by more than a 2-to-1 margin.
The Sabres followed that up with an overtime victory over the Panthers and a shootout win over the Senators to make it four wins in a row. Stellar.
Marcus Foligno scored in three consecutive games, Jhonas Enroth had his first shutout of the 2014-2015 NHL season, and things were looking up for an otherwise struggling Buffalo Sabres team. It was the turn of a corner, a high mark in the season, and a time we can look back on now.
Next: Ennis' Highlight-Reel Goal
Nov 5, 2014; Buffalo, NY, USA; Buffalo Sabres left wing Tyler Ennis (63) during the third period against the Montreal Canadiens at First Niagara Center. Canadiens beat the Sabres 2-1 in a shootout. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Hoffman-USA TODAY Sports
1. Tyler Ennis’ Highlight-Reel Goal
The goal of the season for the Buffalo Sabres was almost certainly one scored by Buffalo Sabres center Tyler Ennis on November 28.
Just over three minutes into the first period, Ennis scored a backhand goal as he fell to the ice on the right side of the Canadiens’ net. The no-look backhander made the highlight reels on multiple news stations, including SB Nation.
“That was one beautiful goal.” – Ted Nolan
It has arguably been one of the best goals scored in the NHL this season, surpassed only by a few of Vladimir Tarasenko‘s tallies.
Even now, months after the goal, it’s still receiving praise. On January 22, Sportsnet named it the number three goal of the NHL season. (Yes, one of Tarasenko’s goals was #1).
The goal was Ennis’ team-leading seventh of the season, and even Ted Nolan noted how highlight reel-worthy it was.
Perhaps my favorite story to tell regarding this goal: I was at that game against the Habs, sitting on the glass to the left of the Habs net. I decided to send a Snapchat video of the game to several friends, and just happened (by some odd, random turn of events) to be filming on my phone when that move – and the resulting goal – happened. I don’t know how much luck happened like that, but it’s pretty awesome that I got it on video.
So — what do you think of these top five moments of the Buffalo Sabres’ season so far? Do you agree with my choices? What else would you have picked? I’m sure there may be other notable moments that could have been selected, but these are the ones that stuck out for me. Feel free to leave your picks in the comments.