Buffalo, NY (WGR 550) – On Saturday the Buffalo Sabres fell to 0-2-0 in the Prospects Challenge losing to the Columbus Blue Jackets 7-5. Buffalo has been outscored 11-7 in the two games.
The Blue Jackets are 1-1-0 and have been outscored 13-9.
There are obvious reasons the Sabres lost despite outshooting Columbus 47-33. The Blue jackets scored on all four of their shots in the third period, one was an empty netter as 2024 seventh-round pick Ryerson Leenders gave up six goals on 32 shots.
Last season Leenders was in net for a 5-2 loss to the New Jersey Devils. The Devils scored two empty net goals as Leenders allowed three goals on 14 shots. He also played the third period in an 8-5 loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins. In those 20 minutes he allowed three goals on 12 shots. So in three games over two years, the 19-year-old is 0-2-0 with a 5.21 goals against and .793 save percentage.
There were things to like in this game and I will get to that, but a few other things need to be said. Over the last two Prospects Challenges the Sabres prospects have lost four straight games by a combined score of 24-14 and five out of six by a combined score of 28-17. Maybe this team’s prospects aren’t as good as management thinks they are.
I also want to be fair. College players are already in class and getting ready for their seasons and aren’t playing. Buffalo has some of their top prospects playing in college including Adam Kleber, Brodie Ziemer, Luke Osburn, Maxim Strbak and Gavin McCarthy. Prokhor Poltapov is playing in the KHL and Viktor Neuchev is recovering from surgery.
This is Isak Rosen’s fourth pro season. He needed to dominate in this tournament and he’s been invisible. The one positive is after Konsta Helenius was hit with an extremely dirty and dangerous hit, he and Noah Ostlund jumped in for their teammate immediately. The chances of Rosen becoming an NHL player are dwindling with each opportunity he gets.
The other thing that’s very alarming in Columbus came in after getting blown out the back door of the arena 8-2. The Jackets had eight invitees dressed for this game. All played junior hockey last season. They dressed no first round picks and just one second rounder. On paper there is no reason whatsoever the Sabres, with four first round picks and a lineup with no invitees should lose.
Let’s look at what happened on Saturday. For 40 minutes I would estimate Buffalo out chanced Columbus by 3-to-1. The Sabres were all over goalie Nolan Lalonde, but they missed the net with many of their Grade-A opportunities. To me that was the No.1 problem, missing the net.
Buffalo was playing a back-to-back, while Columbus hadn’t played since Thursday. That really starting to show up in the back half of the second period when the Sabres looked exhausted. The Blue Jackets were a step ahead and just blowing by Buffalo defenders. They netted six goals in the final 40 minutes. Buffalo did out shoot Columbus 19-4 in the third period, but the Blue Jackets scored on all four of their shots and Lalonde made some great saves.
Noah Ostlund scored a highlight reel goal in the second period to make the game 2-2. One of the players acquired in the Conor Timmons deal, Isaac Belliveau made a really nice stretch pass to spring Ostlund in alone. He put a nifty move on Lalonde and used the backhand to tuck the puck under the cross bar. If I was picking stars Ostlund wound have been No. 2, but facts are facts and the big three for Buffalo, Ostlund, Helenius and Rosen have one goal and no assists in two games.
Red Savage was signed by the Amerks out of Michigan State. He was all over the ice and along with another Rochester signee, Matteo Constantini had a goal and an assist each. Constantini is from St. Catharines and played for the Junior Sabres.
Riley Fiddler-Schultz played well in both games. He had two goals on Saturday. After five season in the WHL with the Calgary Hitmen, Fiddler-Schultz had to sign minor league contracts. Over two seasons he scored 23 goals and 20 assists for 43 points in 51 games with the Jacksonville Icemen of the ECHL and 15 goals and 15 assists for 30 points in 65 games including playoffs with the Rochester Americans. His tenacity and leadership earned him an NHL contract with the Sabres this season.
This year’s first round pick Radim Mrtka has a goal and an assist and has played some good hockey using his speed, but as with any 18-year-old, he’s had some hiccups along the way too.
Here is Buffalo scoring through two games:
Fiddler-Schultz : 2-0-2
Mrtka : 1-1-2
Savage : 1-1-2
Constantini : 1-1-2
Brunet : 0-2-2
Kucharcik : 1-0-1
Ostlund : 1-0-1
Novikov : 0-1-1
Laberge : 0-1-1
Rucinski : 0-1-1
Komarov : 0-1-1
Belliveau : 0-1-1
Novotny : 0-1-1
Nadeau : 0-1-1
Leinonen : 4.00 .852 0-1-1
Leenders : 7.12 .813 0-1-1
The players that should be carrying the Sabres get one more chance on Monday when they host the Pittsburgh Penguins. Join me, Brayton Wilson and Owen Parker at noon for all the action on The Bet 1520.