The Buffalo Sabres got the job done on Saturday night, pounding the Montreal Canadiens 8-3 in Game 6 of their second-round matchup.
The Habs completely came undone in the second period, opening the floodgates for the Sabres to force a Game 7.
Jack Quinn, Tage Thompson, and Rasmus Dahlin all had tremendous performances. But amid impressive showings, one Sabres star remains quiet: Alex Tuch.
Tuch has been noticeably absent from the scoresheet the entire series against Montreal. While he’s had his chances, like a breakaway chance coming out of the penalty late in the second period on Saturday night, Tuch has just been snakebitten.
The 30-year-old forward has been unable to find the back of the net. But that just because he’s failed to score in the first six games of this season, doesn’t mean he can’t redeem himself in the Sabres’ most important game of this season.
Yes, Tuch will hit the ice for Buffalo in Game 7 at home. As an impending UFA, it could also be his final game in Buffalo and as a Sabre.
But beyond the evident possibility of the Sabres’ season ending on Monday night, Tuch has one more shot at redemption. If he takes advantage of it, helping the Sabres advance to the Eastern Conference Final against the Carolina Hurricanes, he’ll have cemented his legacy as a Sabres great.
Sabres fans hoping Tuch can get off the skids
Tuch lit up the Boston Bruins to the tune of four goals in the first round. It seemed like he picked up right where he left off during the regular season. But now, his scoring has seemingly fallen by the wayside.
Perhaps Tuch is dealing with an injury we don’t know about. That’s always a possibility in the playoffs.
Perhaps the Canadiens have done a good job of shutting him down. That’s also possible, especially since it’s been other key pieces like Quinn and Zach Benson who’ve stepped up in this series.
Despite having several players who’ve stepped up, the Sabres need Tuch to get off the skids. Assuming they deliver the knockout blow on Monday night, Buffalo will be heading into a series with one of the toughest teams in the NHL. As such, the club will need every offensive weapon at its disposal.
Having a strong showing in Game 7 could be enough to ignite Tuch and set off a hot streak right into the series against Carolina. A scorching Tuch would be a useful weapon to torch the Hurricanes.
Wouldn’t it be great if the Sabres were the team to end Carolina’s postseason streak? Wouldn’t it be even better if the Sabres were the team to make the Canes look like chumps?
All of that is on the table. It begins with a strong Game 7 on Monday night. The Canadiens are on the ropes, and it’s time for Tuch to step up and deliver the punch to end the fight. The Sabres have all the momentum on their side following Game 6.
It’s just a matter of pulling out one more strong performance.
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