The Buffalo Sabres were back on the ice on Saturday for their first of two games this weekend. It would have been easy for the Sabres to look past this game and towards a pivotal game against the Tampa Bay Lightning tomorrow. However, they didn't let that stop them and they would secure a 3-2 win over the Predators.
They would get off to a bit of a slow start after a scoreless first period for both teams before the Nashville Predators would open the scoring in the second period. It took a bit for the Sabres to get going, but once Tage Thompson scored with just under eight minutes left in the second, it was all Buffalo after that.
Jason Zucker would score less than two minutes after that, and Josh Doan extended the Sabres' lead to two only 16 seconds into the third period. They have now won six straight and, with 82 points, guarantee them a chance to have the division lead with a win against the Tampa Bay Lightning on Sunday.
These are five takeaways from the hard-fought win over the Nashville Predators on Saturday.
Buffalo Sabres don't score in first period for only the second time in last nine games
One consistent theme during the Buffalo Sabres' recent success has been their ability to score early. Over the prior eight games entering the one against the Nashville Predators, the Sabres would score in the first period in seven of those games.
However, scoring chances were hard to come by as the Sabres had only two shots on goal the entire period. It was a pretty even period as both teams really did a good job limiting scoring chances, as the Predators had only six shots on goal in the opening period.
Tage Thompson provides the spark the Buffalo Sabres needed in the second period
The Nashville Predators would open the scoring in the second period, and the Buffalo Sabres struggled to find a rhythm early in the game. However, the game seemed to flip completely when Tage Thompson was able to score the Sabres' first goal of the game.
The Sabres did a great job controlling and moving the puck until Alex Tuch was able to find Thompson near the slot, and the Sabres' top goal-scorer did the rest. It was his 34th goal of the season, and he now has had at least a point in 10 straight games, which is the longest stretch of Thompson's career and longest for a Sabres player since Jeff Skinner did it in the 2022-23 season.
Thompson's goal provided some life to the Buffalo Sabres, and Jason Zucker would give the Sabres the lead less than two minutes later. It was another good example of excellent puck movement as Rasmus Dahlin would fit a pass through traffic to Jack Quinn, who wasted no time taking the shot.
The puck was able to get past Juuse Saros and was about to cross the line before Jason Zucker slammed it home to make sure the Sabres got the lead.
Entering this game, the Sabres have struggled when the opposing teams score first, and they have a record of 10-15-5 this season. However, this is just another good example of the development this team has shown, as they didn't panic when Nashville scored first.
Alex Lyon helped keep the Buffalo Sabres in this game against the Predators
The Buffalo Sabres are not accustomed to the type of slow starts that they had against the Nashville Predators. However, it makes the game a little easier when teams have a goalie like Alex Lyon, who made some big stops early to keep the game within reach.
The first goal the Predators would score, a goal by Zachary L'Heureux, is tough to blame on Lyon. Jonathan Marchessault had the puck below the net and would pass it across back through the middle of the ice, and there was no Sabres' player who picked up L'Heureux coming into the zone.
This would be the only 5v5 goal Lyon allowed all game and stopped 23 of 25 shots with the only other goal being a power play goal by Matthew Wood.
Josh Doan ends a six-game stretch without a goal after excellent defensive play
Josh Doan has had a breakout season with the Buffalo Sabres and was rewarded with a seven-year contract extension in January. He already has 41 points on the season entering the game against the Predators, which is more than double his previous career high of 19.
While he has been excellent, Doan has been in a little bit of a slump as of late, with no goals and only two assists over the past six games. However, early in the third period, Doan showed exactly why he is so valuable to this team and a big reason for their success.
In the third period, the Sabres would win the opening faceoff and get the puck down in the Predators' zone. However, they would lose control of it, and Marchessault was trying to get the puck out of their zone.
Doan didn't give up on the play and came from behind to steal it and get it back into the corner. While Josh Norris was gaining control of it, Doan was skating towards the center of the ice where Norris set him up with a perfect pass, and Doan was able to score and give Buffalo a 3-1 lead.
Sam Carrick looks solid in his Buffalo Sabres debut one day after being traded
The Buffalo Sabres made three trades at the NHL Trade Deadline, and Sam Carrick was the first of the four players they acquired to make his Sabres debut. Carrick, the former New York Rangers' center, is a gritty fourth-line center who gives the Sabres a veteran in that spot.
The Sabres wasted no time getting him in the game and had him replace Josh Dunne in the lineup. According to Paul Hamilton with WGR550, Ruff's message to Carrick before tonight was to "just play his game".
Carrick did just that and finished with 12 shifts, had one blocked shot, and two hits. The Sabres also showed a lot of confidence in the player as they had him step in on the penalty kill in the second period in place of Ryan McLeod, who was in the penalty box after being called for slashing.
The Sabres showed that confidence once again late in the game when there were about 30 seconds left. The Predators had already pulled the goalie with a faceoff in their zone, and Lindy Ruff sent Carrick out.
He would win the final two faceoffs of the game and helped the Sabres secure the win.
He is a player who might not do anything flashy, but he does the little things that can help make a team successful. That is exactly what Carrick did on Saturday against the Predators.