The Buffalo Sabres are playing hard for 60 minutes. It sounds like a simple task, but for the past 14 years it felt like an impossible mission for an organization that always sought the easy way out, a statement that covers every level of the franchise, from ownership to the players.
A perfect example of the Sabres' rapidly improving compete level, which not-so-coincidentally began after Jarmo Kekalainen replaced Kevyn Adams as general manager, was on full display during Buffalo's impressive 4-1 dismantling of the Dallas Stars on New Year's Eve.
The Blue and Gold already had the road win secured when standout rookie Noah Ostlund, who Adams laughably demoted to the AHL shortly before his dismissal as GM, put his body on the line to block a shot late in the third period.
"That tells you where you're at," head coach Lindy Ruff told reporters. "A guy like Ostlund, who got in front of a shot when it was 4-1. ... The desperation inside the game. The wall battles I thought were real good. It was like a playoff game. It was two good teams playing hockey."
Another sign the Sabres are truly turning a corner? They fell behind after just 15 seconds as Mavrik Bourque put the American Airlines Center crowd into an immediate frenzy. Buffalo didn't falter, and Ruff's group was the vastly superior team for the remaining 59 minutes and 45 seconds.
Goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, who stopped 28 of Dallas' 29 shots, praised his teammates for rising to the occasion amid early adversity that would have sunk the squad in past seasons.
"I think that's been the story of this whole winning streak," UPL said. "If we fall behind, it doesn't phase us."
Plenty of challenges still lie ahead for the Sabres, who now rank seventh in the Eastern Conference based on point percentage (.590), but their playoff drought will finally end if they keep playing this brand of hockey for the second half of the regular season.
For now, let's jump into the latest installment of our Sabres player grades series as Buffalo celebrates tying the longest winning streak in franchise history at 10 games.
Tage Thompson, Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen lead well-rounded Buffalo Sabres effort in Dec. 31 win over the Dallas Stars
Sabres player grades
Player | Grade (1-10) |
|---|---|
Tage Thompson | 9.5 |
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen | 9 |
Josh Doan | 9 |
Bowen Byram | 8.5 |
Owen Power | 8.5 |
Beck Malenstyn | 8 |
Rasmus Dahlin | 8 |
Jordan Greenway | 7.5 |
Josh Dunne | 7 |
Peyton Krebs | 7 |
Noah Ostlund | 6.5 |
Ryan McLeod | 6.5 |
Zach Benson | 6 |
Mattias Samuelsson | 6 |
Michael Kesselring | 5.5 |
Zach Metsa | 5.5 |
Jack Quinn | 5 |
Alex Tuch | 5 |
Josh Norris | 4 |
Buffalo Player of the Game: Tage Thompson
Wednesday night's contest hung in the balance with the Sabres holding a narrow 2-1 lead until Thompson scored two goals in the span of 134 seconds midway through the third period. It put the game out of reach, especially with how well the team has been defending during the streak.
The 28-year-old Arizona native, who will be formally named to Team USA for the 2026 Winter Olympics on Friday, also assisted on Josh Doan's second-period tally. It brings him up to 37 points (20 goals and 17 helpers) in 39 appearances this season.
Thompson started the campaign on a sluggish note, but he's come alive as of late with 15 points over the past 11 games, so it's no surprise Buffalo's offense is surging. The team hasn't scored less than three goals since a Dec. 5 loss to the Winnipeg Jets.
The Sabres front office, led by Kekalainen, should still be in the market for a high-scoring winger before the 2026 NHL trade deadline in March to take some pressure off Tage, but for now the club's new general manager likely doesn't want to shake up a red-hot group.
As it stands, Thompson is on pace for 42 goals, which would mark his third time topping 40 in the past four years.
Sabres quick hits
- UPL has saved 76 of the 79 shots (.962 save percentage) sent his way over the past three starts and appears to have reclaimed the team's starting goalie role, at least for the time being.
- Owen Power has quietly thrived in an important role for the Sabres penalty kill, which ranks second in the NHL at 85%, since the injury to Conor Timmins.
- Bowen Byram, who had just five points in Buffalo's first 15 games, has 15 points in the past 24 contests, a stretch where the club has posted a 16-8-0 record.
- Michael Kesselring left the game in the third period after an awkward collision behind the net. There wasn't an immediate update on his status after the win.
- Josh Norris had a rare quiet night offensively, but he still made an impact for the Blue and Gold by winning eight of his 13 faceoffs.
- The Sabres (21-14-4) finish a three-game road trip Saturday afternoon (3 p.m. ET) when they visit Nationwide Arena for a battle with the Columbus Blue Jackets (17-16-6).