Buffalo Sabres vs. Devils: Post-Game Notes and Opinions

The Buffalo Sabres prospects squared off with their New Jersey Devils counterparts in Game 2 of the 2022 Prospects Challenge. 

It was a night where Matt Savoie, Isak Rosen, and Jiri Kulich all scored a goal for the Buffalo Sabres prospects. And each did a lot of good things in Game 2 against the Devils in what was a physical affair.

Savoie created space and always seemed to be on the move before scoring on an assist from Linus Weissbach, who had yet another good game. Earlier in the contest, Savoie even created an easy scoring opportunity for Aleksandr Kisakov, who was just a tad too slow with the shot. Check out Savoie’s goal below:

Kisakov, however, bounced back. The relentless winger showed great body position, a methodical shot, good puck protection, and a surprising burst of speed, scoring off of an interception. He outlasted the Jersey opposition, and took the puck up the ice himself for a goal.

The Buffalo Sabres 2021-22 draft classes looked remarkable

As predicted, Tyson Kozak did not score. However, he had a great block while on the penalty kill unit and looked good defensively overall. After Kozak, I also felt Lukas Rousek’s presence, who provided an assist on a goal from Ethan Ritchie. Rousek looked mature and confident in this one, and it is something I’m looking for him to take into Game 3 on Monday.

Beck Warm looked remarkable, allowing just one goal through the first two periods, and that one goal came on a pressure play from New Jersey. Warm allowed three goals later in the game, but it’s tough to call him out on two of those as the Sabres, up 5-2 at one point, seemed to put the game in cruise control for a few minutes.

There was an excellent goal from Filip Cederqvist off of a rebound from a shot Oskari Laaksonen shot. Laaksonen, playing with a chip on his shoulder, had another good outing, but you cannot have said enough about Cederqvist. He looked confident all over the ice. Whether positioned near the net, on the boards. He also used his size to his advantage.

Kulich was a surprise addition to the lineup and showed toughness, once leaving the game after taking a hit to the face, but returning shortly thereafter. He looked rusty early, but once again displayed that neutral zone speed and made a few plays, including his game-sealing empty-netter.

If any one prospect jumped out at me, it was Vsevolod Komarov. Komarov, another big-bodied defenseman, seemed to be in the right place at the right time whenever he stepped onto the ice. He displayed remarkable puck-handling and passing skills in this one and physicality throughout, disrupting plays left and right.

While the Sabres made it interesting later in the third, they managed to bounce back on Savoie’s goal to negate any attempt at a comeback. Kulich’s empty-netter put icing on the cake, and the Sabres took it, 7-4.

Article Source: Observations: Jiri Kulich returns, Matt Savoie scores first with Sabres in win by Lance Lysowski