The Buffalo Sabres did not make too many big splashes in the offseason. One signing, however seems to have paid off for Kevyn Adams. Jason Zucker, who signed a one-year deal in July has played well for a team looking for offensive output from players other than Tage Thompson and Alex Tuch.
The left winger has 13 points on the year with four goals and nine assists. He also in the positive for plus/minus in the early part of the year. Thus far, he is plus-2 for Buffalo. He is only one of nine players who have been in the positive in October and November.
Zucker, along with Jordan Greenway, are the two left wingers who are in the positive on the ice. He currently is on a two-game point streak.
In the third period, Zucker had the game winning goal in 1-0 victory over the Kings
His first game-winning goal on the year came early on in third period during a Sabres power play. Zucker was able to put one past the Kings goalie from a rebound from a Rasmus Dahlin wrist shot.
The 32-year-old winger spoke to reporters after the game about the goal. “Every game, you’re learning something, right? Whether you’re winning or losing, you’re not playing a perfect game. And even tonight, I thought our second period start was horrible. But we were able to kind of turn it around in the third, have a better start to the third and get back after it. So, whether we win or we lose, we’re trying to learn from it and take it to the next game.”
The Sabres will need to continue to find ways to win and more importanly find ways to find the back of the net if they want to creep on in the points standings. Having a player like Zucker step up will come along way if they wish to do that.
In a dominant win earlier in the month against the Rangers, Zucker was the ice in 17 shifts for 13 minutes of playing time. He also provided a key assist midway through the second period which put Buffalo up 4-0.
Zucker was only signed to a one-year deal. If he continues to prove his metal on the ice, the Sabres may be looking to him as a long-term answer for more points and offensive firepower for the rest of this season and beyond.