The Buffalo Sabres and Calgary Flames see each other twice each season, which is unfortunate because both teams have incredible uniforms. How did Buffalo fare against the Flames in 2023/2024? Calgary came to KeyBank Center for the first meeting which took place in October.
Buffalo started off the season slow as they lost their first four games. Coming off an overtime victory against the Tampa Bay Lightning to get their first win of the year, they looked to make it two in a row against Calgary. It did not start out well for the blue and gold as the Flames scored 49 seconds into the game.
Former Sabre Erik Johnson scored his first goal as a member of the blue and gold to even the score. After Calgary regained the lead, Tage Thompson tied the game up at 2-2 on the power play. With the score remaining the same heading into the third period, Blake Coleman gave Calgary the 3-2 lead less than two minutes into the period.
A couple of minutes later, JJ Peterka tied it up again. Just about a minute after Buffalo made it 3-3, the Flames scored what would be the game winning goal as they beat Buffalo 4-3. You would have to fast forward to March for the final game between the two teams as the Sabres were in Calgary after a brutal loss to the Edmonton Oilers three days prior.
Calgary native Peyton Krebs got Buffalo on the board first as he scored the only goal in the first period. The Flames would get the only goal of the second period thanks to Jonathan Huberdeau. Peterka made it 2-1 around the halfway point before Thompson and Connor Clifton scored two empty netters and Buffalo won this game 4-1.
Both games were close and nerve racking as the Sabres split the season series with the Flames.