The Buffalo Sabres are still looking for the right forward lines and defense pairs after some offseason roster changes and, while trailing 2-0 against the Minnesota Wild on Tuesday night, head coach Lindy Ruff decided to use one of his "break glass in case of emergency" options.
Ruff put his two No. 1 overall pick defensemen, Rasmus Dahlin and Owen Power, together.
It's not the first time Dahlin and Power have played on the same pair, but the coaching staff has typically tried to keep them apart to create a more balanced blue line. Tuesday's comeback win, a 3-2 home triumph in overtime, showed the magic they can produce, though.
The tandem was on the ice for both of Buffalo's third-period goals, one by Noah Ostlund and another from Tage Thompson, and then Power scored the game-winner in OT.
OP CALLED GAME‼️ pic.twitter.com/ekLibmrYwN
— Buffalo Sabres (@BuffaloSabres) October 7, 2026
"Yeah, it's a lot fun," Power told reporters about playing alongside Dahlin. "A lot of times, just give him the puck and get open, and he'll find you. Obviously, he's one of the best, if not the best defenseman in the world, so it makes my life easy."
The dynamic duo ended up skating a little over nine minutes together. It's an extremely small sample size, but they did generate 82.8% of the expected goals in that ice time, per Natural Stat Trick.
History suggests it's unlikely Ruff will keep them together on a full-time basis, but perhaps it's time for him to reconsider that stance. The Sabres may now possess enough defensive depth to make the other pairs work without Dahlin and Power.
Buffalo could try something like this once Conor Timmins returns, which could happen in the relatively near future as he wraps up his recovery from a lower-body injury:
Left Defense | Right Defense |
|---|---|
Owen Power | Rasmus Dahlin |
Mattias Samuelsson | Louis Crevier |
Olen Zellweger | Conor Timmins |
Mattias Samuelsson's positive strides offensively over the past year increase his chances of success alongside a more defensively focused player like Louis Crevier, while playing with Timmins would give Olen Zellweger far more freedom to handle that pair's transition work, where he thrives.
It's unclear whether that type of alignment would stick for the long haul, but it's at least something Ruff and his assistants can consider moving forward, especially in the coming years if prized blue-line prospects Daxon Rudolph and Radim Mrtka reach their full potential.
What Dahlin and Power created together against Minnesota can't be ignored.
Meanwhile, let's jump into the latest installment of our Sabres player grades series following the impressive comeback victory, which moved the team's record to 2-1-0 on the young season.
Buffalo Sabres stun Minnesota Wild with third-period dominance
Sabres Player Grades
Player | Grade (1-10) |
|---|---|
Owen Power | 9.5 |
Tage Thompson | 8.5 |
Jiri Kulich | 8 |
Noah Ostlund | 8 |
Rasmus Dahlin | 7.5 |
Peyton Krebs | 7.5 |
Colten Ellis | 7.5 |
Konsta Helenius | 7 |
Ryan McLeod | 7 |
Mattias Samuelsson | 7 |
Zach Benson | 6.5 |
Josh Norris | 6.5 |
Louis Crevier | 6 |
Jack Quinn | 6 |
Olen Zellweger | 5.5 |
Justin Danforth | 5.5 |
Beck Malenstyn | 5 |
Josh Doan | 5 |
Zach Metsa | 3.5 |
Buffalo Player of the Game: Owen Power
Power was one of the Sabres' best players during last season's playoff run, and he's parlayed that into a strong start to the new campaign. He's playing with more confidence than ever and the occasional high-profile defensive errors, a hallmark of his early career, have been eliminated so far.
The 23-year-old University of Michigan product is already up to five points in three games. After taking a back seat to playing partner Bowen Byram offensively last year, he's got a terrific chance to establish a new career high in points this season. His best previous mark is 40 in 2024-25.
It took a little longer than most people, including the Sabres and their fans, expected, but it sure seems like Power is finally starting to play at a level more closely associated with a top draft pick. He's starting to produce those game-changing moments more regularly.
Playing with Dahlin more consistently would only raise his potential even more.
Sabres Quick Hits
- Colten Ellis was steady in his first start of the season (18 saves on 20 shots). He should get the crease again for Thursday's clash with the Dallas Stars.
- Tage Thompson accounted for 18.8% of the game's entire shot total (nine of 48), and he's now put up back-to-back two-point outings for Buffalo.
- Peyton Krebs delivered a perfect pass to Thompson on the game-tying goal.
- Jiri Kulich continues to look dangerous in his return from an 11-month absence. He should continue to climb the lineup in the weeks ahead.
- Ryan McLeod was far more effective against the Wild after a slow start to the campaign.
- Josh Doan is still trying to find his offensive game, but the compete level hasn't wavered.
- The Sabres and Stars are scheduled for a 7 p.m. ET faceoff Thursday night at the KeyBank Center.
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