While the Buffalo Sabres have not had many extended win streaks like the one they are currently on in recent history, the last time they had a 10-win streak was during the 2018-19 season. This team can match that total with a win over the Dallas Stars, and surprisingly, there are still two players on the roster from that win streak.
While that team was led by players like Jack Eichel and Sam Reinhart, they had two younger players who were helping them. One of those players was Rasmus Dahlin, who was the first overall pick in the 2018 NHL Draft and made the jump straight to the Buffalo Sabres as he played every game that season.
Rasmus Dahlin and Tage Thompson made their presence known during the Buffalo Sabres win streak in 2018
The 10-game win streak began on November 8th against the Montreal Canadiens in the 16th game of the season. Even though Dahlin was a rookie and very early in that first season, he was a big reason for their success as he had nine points with one goal and eight assists over that 10-game stretch.
In addition to Dahlin, the Sabres had Tage Thompson on that team, but he was a relatively unknown prospect at that point. He played in 45 games the season prior with the St. Louis Blues, and this was his first season in Buffalo as he came over as part of the return for Ryan O'Reilly.
Thompson got off to a slow start with only one point through the first 12 games of the season. However, he would score three goals and add one assist in the nine games he played during this win streak.
It took a few more years for Thompson to truly have his breakout season, but he has emerged as one of the top goal-scorers on the Sabres and already has 18 goals through 38 games.
Buffalo Sabres learned a tough lesson after that win streak that these two players need to share with the locker room
The Buffalo Sabres have found themselves on an incredible run, and this nine-game win streak has gotten them right back into playoff contention. However, it is still early in the season, and there is still over half a season left.
Dahlin and Thompson played a part in the 10-game win streak, but that team learned a tough lesson after the win streak. The Sabres would struggle after that win streak as they lost five straight and went 4-7-4 over the next 15 games.
Any momentum the Sabres gained that season with their win streak quickly evaporated, and it was another season that ended without a playoff appearance.
The Sabres this year want to get back to the playoffs, and it is essentially guaranteed they will lose another game this season. What will be important, and this message needs to come from Dahlin and Thompson, is that they can't let that one loss become a bigger issue and wipe away everything they gained during this win streak.