The Buffalo Sabres put together an incredible comeback and were able to get their first road win of the season as they won 5-4 in overtime over the Detroit Red Wings. The way they were able to close out that game, especially in the third period, is a welcome sight for fans, as they have been hoping to see this type of performance.
One player that was missing for most of the third period was defenseman Michael Kesselring and Lindy Ruff did not have good news after the game about his availability moving forward. The defenseman made a big hit in the second period and came up grimacing and headed right to the bench.
He played one shift early in the third period, but that was the end of his night as the injury didn't seem to let him play anymore. After the game, Ruff was asked about Kesslering and confirmed it was a lower-body injury. He went on to say, "My initial thought is it doesn't look good but we will see."
Buffalo Sabres got a glimpse at what Michael Kesselring can do in this defense with Owen Power
When the Buffalo Sabres traded for Michael Kesselring during the summer, the general thought was that he was a perfect fit next to Owen Power. It was a move that could hopefully unlock his potential and get him back on track.
Unfortunately, the Sabres haven't gotten to see much of Kesselring and Power together as Kesselring suffered an injury during preseason. It would cost him the start of the season but he made his season debut against the Columbus Blue Jackets and played in the last eight games, including tonight.
This game against the Red Wings though, was the first time Power and Kesselring started the game as a pair. Prior to the injury, the two had arguably their best games of the season. According to Natural Stat Trick, Kesselring led the Sabres in xGF% at 86.41% while Power was fourth at 70.07%.
The loss of Kesselring is a big one for this group and the Sabres will likely once again turn to Jacob Bryson, who has been in the lineup the past few games while Rasmus Dahlin was away. They will now try and regroup before their next game on Monday against the Edmonton Oilers.