Buffalo, N.Y. (WGR 550) – The Buffalo Sabres have been learning how to win during this preseason, as their 4-2 win over the Carolina Hurricanes on Tuesday made them 4-1-0 in exhibition play.
Tage Thompson stole the show in the first period, getting the Gordie Howe Hat-trick - scoring a goal, getting an assist and engaging in a fight.
Buffalo came out flying against a lineup that was mostly players that will be in the minors this season. After firing nine early shots on goalie Pyotr Kochetkov, Jeff Skinner sent a nice pass putting Vinnie Hinostroza in and it was 1-0.
Kochetkov was taken in the second round of the 2019 NHL Draft, and happened to be the pick the Hurricanes got from the Sabres in exchange for Skinner.
Thompson got his night started also assisting on that goal.
It then became the Thompson show, as he came out of the penalty box, caused a turnover and took off with amazing speed. Thompson pulled away from defenseman Ethan Bear, and beat a lunging Kochetkov with a deke move.
Fans for years have complained about how the Sabres aren’t tough enough and don’t care enough to stick up for each other. Hinostroza took a heavy hit from Hurricanes defenseman Jalen Chatfield, and Thompson couldn’t get the gloves off fast enough. He just continued to pound on Chatfield until the linesmen broke it up.
Thompson finished the period with a goal and an assist with 19 minutes in penalties.
During his postgame comments, Thompson talked about his love for his teammates, and they are always there for each other.
Hinostroza joined me during the first intermission, and he was very appreciative of what Thompson did sticking up for him. He said he absolutely would do the same for Thompson.
Dylan Cozens stole the puck off a sloppy drop pass from Malte Stromwall, and he, too, used his speed for a shorthanded goal.
Buffalo may have gotten full of themselves, as for the next 30 minutes, they only managed five shots on goal.
Carolina got back into it early in the third when Casey Mittelstadt was very close to Craig Anderson and ran into Alex Tuch. He turned the puck over and it was 3-1.
Tuesday was JJ Peterka’s fourth-straight very tough preseason outing, and he absolutely is pressing. He was in his own end on the right wall and just handed the puck in the middle of the ice to Bear, and Stromwall made it 3-2 just 19 seconds after the first Canes goal.
To Peterka’s credit, when Carolina pulled Kochetkov for the extra attacker, the young winger forced a turnover to Cozens. Peterka went to the net, got the pass from Cozens and netted the empty netter. It was excellent hustle, but Peterka didn’t even smile.
I think Peterka knows things haven’t gone well for him in this training camp.
Anderson played the whole game on Tuesday, making 23 saves on 25 shots.
Kyle Okposo missed the third period with, what head coach Don Granato called, a short-term upper-body injury. The team stressed that it is not a head injury. Granato says his leader will miss at least a few days of practice.
As the Sabres prepare for opening night on Oct. 13 against the Ottawa Senators, they’ll have one more preseason game on Friday in Pittsburgh against the Penguins.
***Photo: Buffalo Sabres (@BuffaloSabres)
