Chicago, Ill. (WGR Sports Radio 550) - The Buffalo Sabres were able to figure out how to get their second win of the season on Saturday with a 4-2 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks.
You may not have liked the two goals that got by Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen on Saturday, but he was at his best for most of the night and made some fantastic saves for, what was, his best game of the season.
Luukkonen stopped 35-of-37 shots faced, including some huge saves in the second period when Buffalo lost its 2-0 lead.
Despite the poor second period, the line of Tage Thompson, Alex Tuch and JJ Peterka scored at 18:37 thanks to a hard-working shift. Thompson was able to put a perfect pass over to Peterka for a layup goal that gave the winger four goals and five points in his last three games.
Luukkonen held strong while the Sabres weren’t in the second, making 11 saves. Many of those saves came from right in front of the net, and the Sabres led after 40 minutes, 3-2.
The Sabres opened the game better, getting out to a 2-0 lead just 11:31 into the game. It was the Thompson line, again, that hit top speed after Tuch caused a turnover and Peterka found Thompson bolting down the slot.
Thompson has three goals and two assists for five points in his last four games, while Tuch has two goals and five assists for seven points in his last six games.
Buffalo also got big goals out of two of their new players.
Beck Malenstyn set up shop in his office, which is in front of the net, and saw Connor Clifton’s shot go off Alex Vlasic’s skate and then off of his skate for his first goal with the Sabres. It was also just the ninth goal of his career.
And then Ryan McLeod put the game on ice with an empty-net goal to give him his third goal in as many games.
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It certainly wasn’t a masterpiece, for sure, but it was a game where Buffalo needed a win to salvage a .500 road trip.
The power play produced a few chances, but went 0-for-4 and is now 0-for-21 on the year. Ruff thought he saw more composure on the power play in this game.
Buffalo now heads home and gets ready to host the 5-1-0 Dallas Stars on Tuesday night.
If Jake Oettinger is in net for Dallas, he’s 4-0-0 this season with a 1.48 goals-against average and a .953 save percentage. He’s second in the league to Connor Hellebuyck in goals-against average, and leads the league in save percentage.
Luukkonen is now 1-2-1 with a 3.26 goals-against average and an .895 save percentage. I would break the alternating goalie system and go with him again come Tuesday.