Buffalo, N.Y. (WGR 550) - The Buffalo Sabres traveled to Montreal to battle the Canadiens on Sunday in their third meeting of the year. Buffalo traveled to Quebec controlling the season series with two wins earlier in the year back at KeyBank Center.
The Canadiens are ranked last in pretty much any category in the NHL this season, as they entered Sunday's contest with a record of 8-32-7. However, the team just hired former NHL winger and Hockey Hall-of-Famer Martin St. Louis as their interim head coach, with a rebuild and high hopes on the horizon.
The Sabres came out firing in the first period with an early goal from Jeff Skinner. The two teams combined for five goals in the second period with two Sabres goals coming from Tage Thompson and Skinner with his second of the game.
Heading into the third locked in a 3-3 tie, the Sabres struck first with a third goal from Skinner, and later on in the period, he added another for his fourth goal of the day.
Sunday's win was a much more ideal game for Buffalo, compared to Thursday's matchup against the Columbus Blue Jackets. There was plenty to be pleased with from this contest.
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Here are this game's three observations:
1.) The resurgence of Jeff Skinner
Skinner came to the Sabres on Aug. 2, 2018. That first season in Buffalo, he recorded 40 goals and earned a huge contract extension with the team. Since then, however, he has not been the $9 million, 40-goal scorer they paid him to be.
That is until this season, so far...
Skinner has newfound success under head coach Don Granato on a line with Tage Thompson and Alex Tuch. While he’s not quite at a 40-goal pace this season (35.6-goal pace), he has already surpassed his point totals for the past two seasons.
Sunday's game brought Skinner's season totals to 20 goals and 14 assists for 34 points in 45 games.
Skinner has five years left on his current contract, but if he can continue to find success with the new blood circulating through the Sabres' system, he will have a great career in Buffalo.
2.) 72 + 53 + 89 = Goals
We already know the production Skinner is capable of with his new linemates, but they, themselves, are finding new ways to impress as of late.
Tuch, who was brought in as a piece of the Jack Eichel trade in November, has stepped up big time for his hometown club. The 25-year-old is still on a point per-game pace with 16 points in 15 games this season, and is showing incredible chemistry with Skinner and Thompson.
The Syracuse native is signed for four more years at a value well below what he would be worth on the free agent market.
On the other hand, Thompson was still attempting to establish his game at the NHL level. After being acquired in the Ryan O'Reilly trade back in the summer of 2018, the 24-year-old had little success and was on track towards being a bust.
However, since transitioning to the center position this season, Thompson has blown away his career-high totals in goals and points this season with 15 goals and 33 points in 43 games.
3.) Age is just a number
Craig Anderson has been, and still is proving this statement this season.
The 40-year-old netminder overcame, what was thought to be, a season-ending injury earlier in the year, and has since come back and won two of his first three games back.
Not only has he been a benefit for young goaltenders like Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen in a mentor role, he has been a reliable starter night-in and night-out throughout the season.
In Sunday’s game against Montreal, Anderson recorded 29 saves on 32 shots faced and earned his 297th career win. Had he not been hurt at the beginning of the year, it's a wonder what this season could’ve been.
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The Sabres travel home to Buffalo to welcome the New York Islanders for the first time this season. The Islanders won their previous meeting, 4-1, and are currently at a record of 17-19-6.
Sabres pregame coverage on WGR begins at 6 p.m. EST with Schopp and the Bulldog, with puck drop set for 7 p.m. EST on the radio home of the Sabres - WGR Sports Radio 550.
