Buffalo Sabres: Jost, Samuelsson served as difference-makers
Tyson Jost debuted last night for the Buffalo Sabres while Mattias Samuelsson made his much-needed and long-awaited return.
Last night, the Buffalo Sabres won their first game in 20 days, and it is no coincidence the big win occurred in Tyson Jost’s debut and Mattias Samuelsson’s return. Both players were effective and did not seem to miss a beat, despite Jost’s unfamiliarity with his new teammates and Samuelsson having played for the first time since October 22nd.
Jost immediately showed off his physicality early, and his appearance on the penalty kill unit also snapped the Sabres streak of giving up at least one power play goal per game. In fact, Buffalo found themselves on the penalty kill six times, and finished a perfect six for six.
He contributed directly when he intercepted a pass during a Canadiens power play, negating a would-be scoring opportunity. As Jost grows more acclimated to his role on the team, look for these type of plays to become second nature.
Jost, Samuelsson come through for the Buffalo Sabres
When I did my homework on him, I knew Mattias Samuelsson was the missing link to ending this losing streak. Although he does not hold the same potential as teammates Rasmus Dahlin and Owen Power, Samuelsson’s presence is every bit as imperative to helping the Sabres win games.
Samuelsson showed up big last night when he tallied three hits and two blocks, plus over 19 minutes of ice time. It was a routine performance for the budding defenseman, who now has 13 blocks and 14 hits on the year in just six games. As Samuelsson continues to find his rhythm, look for more physical plays that will benefit the Sabres as a whole.
Related Story. Sabres wreak havoc on an unsuspecting Canadiens team. light
Sitting at 8-11-0, this the Buffalo Sabres have a long way to go if they want to even remotely resemble the team that started 7-3-0. But a blowout win against the Canadiens definitely put momentum on their side as they steamroll back into the Queen City for 90’s Night against the St. Louis Blues.
Article Source: Observations: Top line, stronger defense help Sabres snap losing streak by Lance Lysowski
(Statistics provided by Hockey-Reference)
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