The Buffalo Sabres, in a season with little of it, have managed to garner a bit of momentum. Whooping the Pittsburgh Penguins 7-3 and even toppling the Winnipeg Jets 5-3 will do that. A trip to Philadelphia to take on the struggling Flyers felt like a recipe for a fourth straight win.
Instead, things got ugly late. After taking a 3-2 lead, it was all downhill for the Sabres. Alex Tuch’s 29th of the season came too little too late, and the Sabres dropped a tough one to the Flyers 7-4. Let’s get into those takeaways.
Matvei Michkov Is a Superstar
There hasn’t been much to go right for the Flyers this season, but it is clear that they have a superstar in Matvei Michkov. He is currently tied with Montreal Canadiens superstar defenseman Lane Hutson for the NHL rookie scoring lead with 56 points, ahead of Macklin Celebrini, Will Smith, and other top rookies.
Michkov has looked like a new player since head coach John Tortorella was relieved of his duties. Notorious for being a bit hard on players, especially young ones, Michkov and “Torts” battled one another throughout the season.
Michkov has scored four goals in two games since Tortorella was let go, looking and playing freely. He had a nasty wrist shot to start the game’s scoring and played with great speed and skill throughout. He’s going to be one to watch from here on out.
The Sabres Need to Find a Way to Lock Down Quinn and Peterka
It is easy to say because the duo combined for five points on the night, but the Sabres have a really tough road ahead when it comes to J.J. Peterka and Jack Quinn. Peterka has been one of the few consistent spots for the team this season, hitting career highs in assists and points. Quinn, meanwhile, has had massive struggles, but has flashed the potential that made him everyone’s breakout candidate before the season.
It is clear that the team has to pay Peterka. He’s 23 years old and has only gotten better with each season. But Quinn, a restricted free agent, feels like a question mark. Is he just now fully healed from the Achilles injury that derailed his 2023-24 season? The Sabres have plenty of injury concerns to worry about, but Quinn may finally be out of the woods.
Related: Should the Buffalo Sabres Be Worried About Josh Norris’ Injury Concerns?
Peterka is someone who has to be signed virtually no matter what the number is. Quinn is tougher. He’s clearly talented, but the start to his season – seven…
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