Columbus, Ohio (WGR Sports Radio 550/WBEN) - While It’s only one preseason game and it was a lineup of half Sabres and half Rochester Americans, Buffalo won its preseason opener, 4-0, in Columbus against the Blue Jackets.
It’s the way the game was played that is exactly what head coach Lindy Ruff is looking for.
For years, Sabres general manager Kevyn Adams has thought little, fast, skill guys are what wins in this league. He couldn’t have been more wrong.
Last season, he tried to ice a team that was harder to play against and failed, as Nicolas Aube-Kubel, Sam Lafferty and Connor Clifton were flops when it came to that.
Beck Malenstyn was a good forechecker, but made way too many mistakes and hardly contributed at all offensively.
This year, Ruff has more of a say in the roster, and for one game, they were at the net all night and not on the perimeter. They also won battles all over the ice, they stood up when needed, and the first impression is a good one.
Three goals came from hard work, and guys and pucks at the net.
Just like the Sabres Prospects Challenge, this year’s first-round pick Radim Mrtka wasn’t afraid to be in the thick of it. He also assisted on the first goal scored by Bo Byram.
Why did Byram score? Because Tyson Kozak and Josh Dunne were at the net. I thought Kozak tipped the puck, but it doesn’t matter. He was there.
On the second goal, Columbus goaltender Elvis Merzlikins tried to send the puck up the wall. Another player that Ruff wanted, Justin Danforth, was in on the forecheck and caused the turnover. The puck wound up at the point with Owen Power, who got the puck through to Merzlikins, who couldn’t handle the rebound and Malenstyn was right at the top of the crease to convert. Danforth was there too.
On the empty net goal, Josh Doan sent the puck down ice and Jiri Kulich hustled to get there first. He had Jack Quinn coming down the slot, and hard work produced that goal.
Doan has made a very good first impression on me with his nose for the net, and ability to excel in front and on the wall.
Sabres 2024 first-round pick Konsta Helenius made a sweet move to finish the scoring, getting around the defense and beating Jet Greaves.
It took a period to get their legs, but Buffalo had 31 shots in the final 40 minutes.
Both Columbus goalies played half the game, with Greaves stopping 23 of the 24 shots he saw, while Merzlikins made eight saves on 10 shots.
I thought Alexandar Georgiev and Devon Levi were both just solid, combining for 22 saves.
In 40 minutes of action, Georgiev was in good position and stopped all 16 shots he saw. And despite only seeing six shots in the final 20 minutes, Levi made some pretty good stops.
The Sabres will host the Blue Jackets on Tuesday back in Buffalo.
Other than Levi, it’ll likely be a totally different lineup for the Sabres. I'm curious to see if that group plays the same way the Monday group did.