Buffalo, N.Y. (WGR Sports Radio 550) - For the first time since Jan. 26, 2023, the Sabres have won four-straight games, as Buffalo held on to beat the Columbus Blue Jackets on Tuesday night, 3-2.
In Buffalo's last winning streak of more than three games, the Sabres had actually won five-straight games.
The Sabres have had seven decent games in-a-row, starting in Vancouver with a win over the Canucks on Jan. 21. They have won five of those games, but unfortunately for them, they are in such a deep hole, it’s not mattering in the standings.
After what happened Sunday with Tage Thompson on the receiving end of a hit to the head and no response from those on the ice, Sabres defenseman Dennis Gilbert set the tone Tuesday by fighting one of the best fighters in the NHL, Mathieu Olivier, just three seconds into the game.
Sabres winger Alex Tuch gave him all sorts of credit after Tuesday night's win.
"There have been a lot of discussions going on around the league, especially about us. And to have a guy like Dennis Gilbert, a hometown kid who loves putting on that jersey every single night, going toe-to-toe at center ice with one of the toughest guys in the league, it just shows how much heart we have. I think he’s a big reason why we won that game," said Tuch. "He’s a hell of a teammate and hell of a person."
I give Gilbert full marks for standing up to a guy like that, but I’m not a fan of staged fighting.
I was more impressed with the slick assist he got on Tuch’s first goal, getting his head up and giving Tuch a shot/pass that he could tip in.
I was also impressed with Gilbert sacrificing the body with two blocked shots in just 8:41 of work.
Sabres head coach Lindy Ruff can’t say enough about Gilbert and the times he’s stood up to guys like Brady Tkachuk twice and others. Tkachuk thought he could take any liberties he wanted with the Sabres, but Gilbert put a stop to that.
"I’d rather have a fight that means somethin., I mean, really great on 'Gibby'," said Ruff following the win. "I don’t know if they had something in mind, I have no idea. But I wasn’t going to take a chance."
Being the visiting team, Columbus had to turn their lineup in first, and Olivier was part of it.
James Reimer found out after the morning skate that Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen left the skate with a minor injury, and that he would be in net. Reimer had another solid game, stopping 27-of-29 shots, including an early 2-on-1 by Olivier and another 2-on-1 shorthanded.
In the third period, Zach Aston-Reese had a breakaway, and Reimer made great saves on the original shot and the rebound.
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The Sabres defended well to start the game, but they scored on their second shot.
Bo Byram came motoring up the ice along with Jason Zucker. Zucker’s shot was blocked, but Byram got a fortunate bounce as he was stationed right in the middle of the ice to rip it past Elvis Merzlikins.
Buffalo only had one shot in the third period, but honestly, I never sensed they were in trouble. Reimer had seven saves, and the Sabres got blocked shots in the period from Rasmus Dahlin (3), Tuch (2), Gilbert, Power, Byram, Zucker and Connor Clifton.
The Sabres have one more game before they get a couple of weeks off, and that’s in Nashville on Saturday against the Predators.