The Buffalo Sabres have had an up and down campaign to say the least. After two of their best games of the season, wins over the Ottawa Senators and New York Rangers, a matinee matchup with the Calgary Flames suddenly had the attention of the entire fan base.
The Sabres responded with their third very good performance in a row, a 3-2 shootout victory over the Flames. Though it is the second three-game winning streak for the Sabres this season, this one comes at a pivotal time for the Sabres. Let’s get into the three main takeaways.
Luukkonen Is on a Heater
There are a number of things that needed to go well for the Sabres this season. Getting offensive production from the top line was a must. Team defense had to get better and the new additions needed to make the lineup better after no blockbuster trade was made during the offseason.
Related: Sabres Forward Ryan McLeod is Fitting in Perfectly
But just as importantly, the team needed goaltender Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen to pick up where he left off a season ago. It took some time, but Luukkonen appears to have found his groove. He has been very good over his last four starts, allowing no more than two goals in each of them (three wins).
Though his record is a modest 6-4-0 to start, the stats tell a bigger story. Luukkonen has allowed two goals or fewer in seven of his 11 starts. More importantly, he has been displaying consistency of late, taking the lion’s share of the starts. The Sabres figured that they had their No. 1 goalie when they signed him to a new deal, and it looks like they guessed correctly.
Thompson Looking Like 2022-23 Tage
One of the keys to the Sabres making the playoffs this season was the return to form of top center Tage Thompson. He exploded into prominence during the 2022-23 season, achieving career-highs in goals (47), assists (47), and points (94) as the Sabres narrowly missed the playoffs.
After a difficult season marred by injury, it looks like that Thompson has returned. He scored in the win over the Flames, his 10th in 15 games to begin the season. At his current pace, he would finish with 54 goals and 92 points.
His impact on the score sheet is evident, but his chemistry with Alex Tuch and J.J. Peterka has given the Sabres a legitimate top line once more. Peterka is playing at a point-per-game clip with Tuch just below the pace. Thompson was counted…
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