The Buffalo Sabres just returned home from a three-game road trip to Western Canada, where they matched up against the Edmonton Oilers, Calgary Flames, and Vancouver Canucks. Over the years, western road trips have given people the opportunity to take in some late night action, otherwise known as "Sabres After Dark".
As they were leaving Buffalo, the Sabres found themselves on a two-game winning streak that ended against Edmonton in a rough 6-1 loss. The Sabres did not play well in this game, which could’ve been blamed partially on the jet lag of traveling across the continent.
Buffalo did, however, bounce back the next night, taking a 1-0 grind-it-out overtime win over the Flames. They then capped off the trip with another overtime victory on Sunday, this time a 3-2 win against the Canucks finishing the trip on a high note.
Here's what stood out about the week that was for the Sabres:
Game of the week:
Without a doubt, the game of the week was Sunday night's late affair with the Canucks. The Sabres did not trail once in this game, with goals in the first and second periods from Casey Mittelstadt and Jeff Skinner.
Rasmus Dahlin was the star of the show on the night, netting the overtime winner and showing shades of who he was in his draft year.
With the win, Craig Anderson improved to 11-9 on the year, stopping 30 of 32 shots. This win was also the 302nd of his career, as he slowly climbs the all-time goaltender wins chart, where he currently sits in spot No. 32.
Player of the week:
Dahlin has really improved his game in the second half of the Sabres' season. While he has had the offensive output for most of the season, his defensive game was lacking early on this year.
However, in the past month-and-a-half, the 21-year-old has really turned himself around, looking much more confident in his own zone, as well as producing more consistently on the offensive side of the puck.
Dahlin currently has 39 points in 61 games this year, and could certainly look to break his career-high of 44 points that he set back in his rookie season.
Prospect of the week:
Jack Quinn has been a stand out in the American Hockey League for most of the season. He has had some injury troubles here-and-there, plus a bout with mononucleosis, but whenever he comes back from those issues, he’s ready to light the lamp with teammate JJ Peterka.
Quinn has scored nine points in his last three games in Rochester, each game with a goal and two assists. Talk about consistency.
The young right winger has scored a total of 44 points in 28 games this year, in an attempt to make his case to come back to the NHL before the end of the season.
With the possible arrival of Owen Power and other college prospects on the horizon, Quinn could be someone fans would see back at the NHL level very soon.
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A look ahead:
The Sabres return to home ice on Wednesday to take on the surging Pittsburgh Penguins, who bolstered their offense at the NHL Trade Deadline by adding Rickard Rakell from the Anaheim Ducks. Then they face Washington at home on Friday before hitting the road again, traveling to New York to take on the Rangers on Sunday and then to Chicago to face the Blackhawks on Monday.
