Columbus, Ohio (WGR Sports Radio 550) - Logical thinking fans knew the Buffalo Sabres weren’t going to go on a 50-game winning streak, and their franchise-tying 10-game winning streak is now over after getting dominated in Columbus, 5-1, by the Blue Jackets.
It was the Blue Jackets' fourth win in five games, while for the first time in a while, the Sabres fumbled and bumbled to a loss.
Coming into the game, the Sabres had also won seven-straight road games.
Buffalo had a very early chance to take the lead when Josh Norris brought the puck to the net, but Jet Greaves - who is now 3-0-0 against the Sabres - made a big save.
It only took three minutes for defenseman Denton Maleychuk to float a shot at Luukkonen that went in off a Sabres player and in. The Sabres goalie was also screened.
As sloppy as the Sabres were, they got things tied up when Owen Power kept a puck in, got his head up and found Josh Norris alone next to the post. He immediately saw he had a 2-on-1 at the crease, and fed Josh Doan for a layup.
Nobody knew it at the time, but Columbus put the game away with two goals in a little more than three minutes of action.
The first Columbus goal came shorthanded, as Tage Thompson blew a tire at the Blue Jackets blue line. That allowed Brendan Gaunce to score on the shorthanded breakaway. It’s not an easy save, but Luukkonen’s team needed another big save from him there.
The next goal was the one Luukkonen didn’t like, because Dmitri Voronkov tipped it right through the five-hole to make it 3-1. Luukkonen felt he could’ve had it.
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Sabres head coach Lindy Ruff hadn’t inserted Jason Zucker back into the lineup, and he will now be back on Tuesday against the Vancouver Canucks. You don’t change the lineup when you’re winning.
Zucker should definitely help a power play that hasn’t scored in six games, going 0-for-14 in that span.
Before Saturday's loss, I had the chance to chat with Tage Thompson about making the United States' Olympic team. It’s something Thompson has wanted every since he was a small boy.
"It was a pretty special feeling," Thompson admitted. "We were told prior that we would be getting a phone call, so I knew I was going to get a call, but didn’t know how that call was going to go. But when I heard [Team USA general manager Bill Guerin] say I was going to make the team, it was a big weight off my shoulders. I’ve been working towards this goal, so it was a relief, a really cool feeling, and nice to be able to share it with my teammates and my family."
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When Thompson was on Team USA for the IIHF World Championship this past May, he won a gold medal along with Josh Doan, who, at the time, was still a member of the Utah Mammoth.
Thompson isn’t surprised at all that his now Sabres teammate has 12 goals and 15 assists for 27 points in 40 games.
"I think I probably was one of the first ones when that trade happened telling everybody how good this kid was going to be, and what a great piece and addition [he would be] to our team not only on the ice, but in the locker room," Thompson said.
"He’s just a great guy to be around, and I think everybody sees and respects his game. Just the way he works and his tenacity on the puck, and his attention to detail. I think that’s why he’s having success."
In action around the NHL on Saturday, the Pittsburgh Penguins beat the Detroit Red Wings, 4-1. That allowed Pittsburgh to move into the first Eastern Conference Wild Card position with a points percentage of .588. That drops Buffalo to the second Wild Card spot at .575.
The Washington Capitals can go by Buffalo with a Saturday night home win against the Chicago Blackhawks.
The Sabres play six of their next seven at home, starting on Tuesday against Vancouver. Buffalo edged the Canucks in Vancouver, 3-2, back on Dec. 12.
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