The Buffalo Sabres desperately needed to get back in the win column on Saturday night against the Seattle Kraken after dropping their previous three games. They started off slow but were able to overcome a two-goal deficit to push it to overtime and then eventually a shootout.
That is where the Sabres have been at their best almost the entire season, and they are now 5-0 in shootouts and one of only three teams with a perfect record in those situations.
Lindy Ruff and Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen credit early momentum for shootout wins
After the Sabres won again in the shootout, the questions after the game was how they have been able to have such success in these situations. The answer is pretty clear, and that is due to a combination of great shooters and excellent goaltending.
"You struggle in the shootout if you don't score," Ruff said. "When your lead-off guy or second guy scores, typically you win something like 80% of the shootouts. We have gotten a good combination of getting that save and our guy scores."
That was exactly what happened against the Kraken as Tage Thompson went first and got the Sabres the early lead. The Kraken weren't able to get past Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen on their first attempt, and Jack Quinn was up next, who had another highlight reel shot that saw him diving over the Kraken goaltender.
It's a bird! It's a plane!
— Buffalo Sabres (@BuffaloSabres) March 29, 2026
Nope, it's Quinner 😎 pic.twitter.com/mNeKFbkgaT
Luukkonen once again came up big with another stop to get the Sabres the win once again in the shootout.
After the game, Luukkonen was asked about how important that first save is in the shootout. "It helps," Luukkonen said, "but if our guys scored first, that helps more."
Luukkonen also gave a lot of credit to Quinn for the Sabres' success in the shootouts, particularly in practice. "I have done so many shootouts with Quinn here in Buffalo, as well as Rochester. It has helped me and probably helped him."
Jack Quinn has had a breakout season and really turned a corner as of late, with 17 goals on the season, but five in just the past 10 games. He has been a star on the power play throughout the season, and he is one of only two players, Tage Thompson as the other, on the roster who has had a shot in every shootout.
However, Quinn has twice as many shootout goals as Thompson with his four to Thompson's two in their five attempts.
Unfortunately for the Sabres, there are no shootouts once the playoffs roll around, but they wouldn't be where they are in the standings if it weren't for the performance of players like Jack Quinn and Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen in shootouts.