
Buffalo, NY (WGR 550) – Buffalo Sabres rookie Colten Ellis got his first NHL start on Wednesday against the red hot Detroit Red Wings. The 25-year-old goaltender had to wait over 10 minutes for his first shot and he had to make a great save on former Sabre Jacob Bernard-Docker. A few minutes later he also stopped a clear cut breakaway from Marco Kasper.
Ellis found out Tuesday morning that he was starting which allowed him to get an estimated 30 family members to the game. His mother was being shown on TNT many times and she was extremely nervous as her son made save after save.
Ellis stopped 27-of-29 shots including a clean cut breakaway from Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin who had just left the penalty box.
Buffalo was nursing a 4-2 lead late in the third period and Ellis made another huge stop on Alex DeBrincat.
One of the biggest things I noticed is Ellis fights for his ice. Detroit was swarming right on top of him after they pulled John Gibson for the extra attacker, but Ellis muscled in there to make some big stops.
Lindy Ruff decided to start the line of Tyson Kozak, Peyton Krebs and Beck Malenstyn and Malenstyn right off the bat used his speed to blow around Simon Edvinsson who took a very questionable tripping penalty. Buffalo was all over Detroit for four minutes with the extra man, but former Anaheim Ducks goaltender Gibson was keeping his team in the game.
In that four minutes with the extra man, Jason Zucker was stopped from the slot, Tage Thompson couldn't score on one of his famous one-timers.
One habit the Sabres haven’t shaken is dominating a team only to let them stick around. It cost Buffalo early in the second period when Ellis kicked out a huge, juicy rebound to Albert Johansson who put the puck right back to the crease. Former Sabres draft pick J.T. Compher was left alone by Zach Metsa who was standing right with him and it was 1-0 Detroit.
Before Larkin went in alone, Alex Tuch hit the post on the power play. In the third period Tuch missed the net on a glorious chance and hit the post again.
The Sabres kept the pressure on, but were scoreless for 31:37 when Jack Quinn made a nifty pass to Zucker who had a yawning net right in front of him to make it 1-1. Zucker is the Sabres leading goal scorer with four, but left the game. Ruff had no report on him afterwards.
Kozak jumped into Zucker’s place with Quinn and Noah Ostlund and wouldn’t you know it, he took a beautiful feed from Quinn and scored from his usual spot, two feet from the net.
Buffalo got caught in bad coverage again and Detroit tied the game to set up a good third period. The Red Wings were on a five-game winning streak while Buffalo had won two-of-three.
The Sabres got another power play in the third and Quinn found open ice in the middle and as soon as he got to the open ice, Ryan McLeod made the pass just at the right moment and Quinn ripped an absolute missile on a one-timer.
Ruff said Quinn is faster and playing faster than he did last season which is getting him to open areas of the ice. He’s Buffalo’s leading scorer with three goals and three assists for six points in seven games.
McLeod set up Josh Doan for the insurance tally giving Doan three goals and three assists for six points too.
Buffalo now has three wins in four games and it might not be very long before Ellis gets another start. Friday the Toronto Maple Leafs are in to start a home and home series. Due to political reasons, many Leaf fans aren't coming across the border for any reason so attendance could take a hit.
The Toronto Blue Jays will be hosting the Los Angeles Dodgers in the World Series on Friday and Saturday, so the NHL has changed the start times for both Sabres games.
Friday is another radio only game with faceoff now at 7:05. Saturday’s game in Toronto will now have a 5:05 puck drop with the World Series starting just after 8:00.