The Buffalo Sabres were battling the New York Islanders in a tightly contested 1-0 game Saturday afternoon when one play in the final seconds of the second period changed the entire complexion of the contest.
Zach Benson drove hard toward the crease with the puck and, just as it appeared he was going to carry it behind the net, he dropped a quick pass to Tage Thompson, who chipped it past Isles goalie David Rittich, who was fooled so bad he was still tracking an empty-handed Benson.
The Sabres remained in firm control from that point forward en route to a 5-0 victory.
Two days earlier, Benson found himself atop the crease in a key Atlantic Division clash with the Montreal Canadiens. His first shot hit the post, his second attempt hit the other post and he continued to outwork the Habs defensemen before finally pushing the puck across the goal line.
Relentless. That's the best word to describe the 5-foot-10, 177-pound winger, who plays far bigger than those measurements would indicate. He's not afraid of putting his body on the line in those most dangerous areas of the ice, and those are exactly the type of players who succeed in the postseason.
Although it's been impossible for the Sabres' young players to prove themselves on the NHL's biggest stage because Buffalo hasn't qualified for the Stanley Cup Playoffs since 2011, Benson has the feel of a player who's going to thrive in that environment.
"I love it," Benson told Matthew Fairburn of The Athletic about the team's recent high-pressure games. "It's almost like playoff hockey in a sense. That's what you live for. That's when I think my game elevates and gets better. I love it and take pride in that."
The 20-year-old Canadian has also embraced the villain role, constantly chirping at opponents and engaging in some post-whistle antics to get under their skin. Opposing fans are taking notice, too.
"Oh, I love it," Benson told Fairburn. "I love it. Any time you get booed, I enjoy that. That's part of my game. My goal is to get booed in 31 arenas. I've been booed in a couple now. I enjoy that part of the game."
The 2023 first-round pick made an immediate jump to the NHL, and the moment has never appeared too big for him. He's passed every test thrown his way, and his offense is starting to catch up to the rest of his well-rounded game.
Meanwhile, the Sabres still have plenty of work to do in order to reach the postseason, but they're trending in the right direction. They currently sit third in the Atlantic Division and they're four points ahead of the Florida Panthers, who occupy ninth in the Eastern Conference.
That's not much cushion, but it's far better than Buffalo could have imagined after its lackluster 11-4-4 start to the campaign. It controls its own destiny with 31 games to go.
As the Blue and Gold attempt to end the franchise's record-setting drought, let's check out the latest installment of our Sabres player grade series after an impressive showing from Benson and Co.
Alex Lyon tops the charts as Buffalo Sabres score key Jan. 24 win over the New York Islanders
Sabres player grades
Player | Grade (1-10) |
|---|---|
Alex Lyon | 10 |
Jason Zucker | 9 |
Rasmus Dahlin | 8.5 |
Zach Benson | 8 |
Ryan McLeod | 7.5 |
Mattias Samuelsson | 7.5 |
Tage Thompson | 7 |
Alex Tuch | 7 |
Peyton Krebs | 6.5 |
Michael Kesselring | 6.5 |
Bowen Byram | 6 |
Owen Power | 5.5 |
Konsta Helenius | 5.5 |
Noah Ostlund | 5 |
Jack Quinn | 5 |
Josh Doan | 4.5 |
Tyson Kozak | 4.5 |
Beck Malenstyn | 4 |
Zach Metsa | 3 |
Buffalo Player of the Game: Alex Lyon
It didn't even register on the NHL offseason Richter scale when the Sabres signed Lyon to a two-year contract over the summer. The 33-year-old goalie has bounced around the league and merely looked like low-upside insurance for an uncertain Buffalo crease.
Boy, were those assumptions wrong. You could argue the journeyman netminder has been the team's most important player. He provided stability early in the campaign while Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen was injured and the Sabres' all-around play was mediocre at best, and he's continued to earn steady starts when healthy despite UPL's recent return to form.
"He's been fantastic for us all year. He's just been huge," winger Jason Zucker told reporters after Saturday's win. "Today that game could've turned a lot of different times, and he made some big saves for us."
Head coach Lindy Ruff added: "He's just given us a lot of real good hockey, battled hard in games. Tonight was fabulous."
As it stands, it's hard to envision the Sabres finding much playing time for Colten Ellis in the near future with how well Lyon and UPL are playing. Their margin for error is too thin to do anything other than ride the hot hands at the moment.
Lyon, who's won nine straight decisions, will head into his next start with a 2.70 goals against average and .911 save percentage across 23 outings this season.
Sabres quick hits
- Jason Zucker's underlying numbers are rarely going to jump off the page, but his timely scoring is a much-needed element of the Sabres' success.
- Rasmus Dahlin is quietly rounding back into form after a brief offensive lull. The fact Buffalo has been winning without him performing at the peak of his powers is a great sign.
- Michael Kesselring finally scored his first point as a Sabre in his 19th game. His overall play is also showing signs of improvement after battling through multiple injuries.
- The Sabres defense could really take off if Dahlin hits his All-Star stride, Kesselring stays healthy and Conor Timmins returns to bolster the penalty kill. Owen Power, Bowen Byram and Mattias Samuelsson have been strong for a vast majority of the season.
- Buffalo is now 18-3-1 over its past 22 games. Only one of those four losses was by more than a single goal.
- The Sabres (29-17-5) visit Scotiabank Arena on Tuesday night (7 p.m. ET) for another critical Atlantic Division battle with the rival Toronto Maple Leafs (24-19-9).