The Buffalo Sabres next game will be Wednesday night against the Ottawa Senators. They are going to look to extend their win streak to four after winning three straight on the West Coast. They started this win streak after a deflating overtime loss to the Washington Capitals and then rattled off wins against the San Jose Sharks, Anaheim Ducks, and Los Angeles Kings.
It was an impressive run for the Sabres, and they got back to playing like the team fans remember from last season. When looking back at the three games, these were four players who stood out for their performances.
Tage Thompson
The Buffalo Sabres wouldn't have been able to win these games without Thompson, who had a point in each game and an impressive eight points total. He even earned NHL First Star of the Week honors for his performance.
After an assist in the game against the Sharks, Thompson had his best game of the season with a hat trick and two assists against the Ducks for his first five-point game since January of last season. The Sabres forward would then add two goals against the Kings, including the game-winning goal on the power play in the third period.
On Monday, Lindy Ruff was asked what has changed for Thompson, and the Sabres' coach thinks it is as simple as getting a few more opportunities in the game. "I think he's getting more opportunities," Ruff said. "I think part of that is the line changes has helped him. I think Benson is a good player for him. He hangs when the puck's down low and can him."
There is no question that Thompson has gotten more opportunities while averaging six shots on goal per game after only around four through the first 11 games of the season. If the Sabres can continue to set him up in these spots, he can continue to produce for them.
Zach Benson
Another player who has stood out during this road trip is Zach Benson, who the Sabres moved off the line with Jack Quinn and Noah Ostlund and onto a line with Thompson. As Ruff noted, Benson does a lot of the little things that can create chances for Thompson and had four assists in the last two games.
However, his impact goes beyond just setting up Thompson, as he also started to find the net with two goals. The first goal of this road trip sealed the win for the Sabres after he won a battle along the boards to score the empty-net goal.
Benson would add another goal against the Ducks that at the time didn't seem too critcal as it extended the Sabres lead to four goals in the third. By the end of the game it proved to be very important as the Ducks would score three in a row to cut it to a one-goal lead late in the period.
Benson missed practice on Monday, which Ruff described as a maintenance day, and hopefully that is all it is. He is showing to be a key part of this team and the Sabres are going to need him on the ice against the Senators on Wednesday.
Sam Carrick
The Buffalo Sabres had to navigate a few injuries on this road trip as Jiri Kulich remained in Buffalo after suffering an injury in practice before the road trip. Then, after the Sharks game, Konsta Helenius returned to Buffalo with an injury that Ruff believes is more week-to-week.
Sam Carrick, who had been on injured reserve, was able to return just in time and made an impact in the last two games of this road trip. The fourth line of him, Tyson Kozak, and Beck Malenstyn was probably their best fourth line trio of the season
Carrick averaged only about eight minutes of ice time in the two games but did have an assist and also brought some physicality with seven hits combined in those games. The veteran forward played well for the Sabres after they acquired him at the trade deadline and before he got hurt. Carrick hasn't had the same impact this season but this could be a sign that might change.
Mattias Samuelsson
The Buffalo Sabres Top 4 defensemen collectively had a great stretch of games, but Mattias Samuelsson's performance in particular stood out. He did have an assist in each of the past two games, but the reason he is on this list is his willingness to put his body in shooting lanes and block shots.
Through the first 11 games of the season, Samuelsson had only nine blocked shots, and the Sabres as a team ranked near the bottom of the league in that category. However, in the past three games, Samuelsson has led the team in the category with 13, including eight blocked shots against the Los Angeles Kings.
Prior to the road trip, Josh Doan talked about how the team owes Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen an apology. He may have been referencing the lack of blocked shots by skaters as one of the reasons, but this team made up for it plenty on this road trip.
If Samuelsson and the rest of the team can block shots at this level, it will be a huge boost for whoever is in net. It was an impressive stretch of games for the Sabres, and these four players were a big reason they were able to win three straight on the road.
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