3 Takeaways from the Sabres’ 7-6 Win Over the Ducks

The Buffalo Sabres began their West Coast road trip the right way with a strong 2-0 shutout victory over the San Jose Sharks. They continued their run of late games with a 10:00 PM start time against the up-and-down Anaheim Ducks on Thursday night.

This was one of the most exciting games of the season from start to finish. They came back from being down 2-0 and 3-1 to take a 7-3 lead, then held on tight in a frantic finish to best the Ducks 7-6 and earn their second consecutive win on this road trip.

TNT is Dynamite

There was a lot to talk about offensively in this one. Zach Benson had a goal and two assists. Peyton Krebs had three assists. Rasmus Dahlin had a pair of assists from the back end. But no one had a better night than Tage Thompson.

Beginning with the second goal of the night, Thompson became a one-man wrecking crew. He assisted on Noah Ostlund’s power play goal and then proceeded to rip off the next three goals scored in the game, a couple of them absolute dazzlers.

Thompson goes quiet for spells but when he’s on, he can dominate. His combination of size and skill is a rarity even in today’s NHL. His five points against the Ducks showcases just how good he can be when everything is clicking for him.

What Happened to the Penalty Kill?

Last season, the Sabres’ penalty kill was one of the best units in the league. This season, they are one of the worst and that was perfectly encapsulated by the “effort” they put in on Thursday night against the Ducks.

Poor Colten Ellis (more on him below) barely stood a chance when the Sabres went down a man. The Ducks went 3-for-4 on the power play, the first two catching the Sabres badly out of position and leaving Ellis to desperately sprawl in an attempt to make a stop.

Missing Connor Timmins is a big deal but it doesn’t fully excuse the complete fall-off of this group. Goaltending hasn’t been as good as it was last season, but you can’t fully blame the goaltending for some of the team’s struggles. The penalty kill needs to get itself together before it starts costing the team games.

The Best 6-Goals-Allowed Goaltending Performance Ever?

At first blush, six goals allowed would have most of us crucifying the goaltending. But anyone who watched the game could argue that Ellis came up with big saves when he needed to and was hung out to try many times.

The box score shows he stopped 29 of 35 shots from the Ducks but it doesn’t tell the story. With the team down early, Ellis made a few crucial stops to keep them in the game and give Thompson a chance to catch fire.

Net-front defense remains a real issue for the Sabres right now. Ellis played well enough to get the job done while getting left on his own for no fewer than four of the goals. For now, Ellis should be the guy in net and Lindy Ruff should ride the hot hand moving forward whether the team makes a deal or not.

A Win is a Win

There will no doubt be complaints about the number of goals given up, the way the penalty kill has played, and the massive struggles the Sabres have in their own zone. That said, a win is a win and this road trip has to be considered a success with two wins already.

If the Sabres can finish things off with a win against an abysmal Los Angeles Kings group on Saturday, it will set the stage for a big showdown with divisional rival Ottawa on Wednesday night in front of what should be a raucous home crowd.