Edmonton, Alta. (WGR 550) - The Buffalo Sabres headed out to Western Canada this week for the first edition of "Sabres After Dark" in this young season. The first stop along this four-game road trip is in Edmonton to face the Oilers.
Edmonton has always had a high-octane offense ever since drafting Connor McDavid first overall in the 2015 NHL Draft. While they haven't had the playoff success over the past few years, that is to be expected from a team of their caliber. They still are a playoff contender year-in and year-out.
Edmonton had a rather quiet offseason this summer, in terms of adding new players. The main changes came at the goaltending position, where they signed former Toronto Maple Leafs netminder Jack Campbell.
The team also was forced to place long-time goalie Mike Smith on Injured Reserve after the veteran failed his preseason physical. This created a tandem of Campbell and third-year netminder Stuart Skinner for the Oilers' 2022-23 campaign.
In the first two games this year, the Sabres looked slow in the first period, but this game appeared different. The team got off to an early lead with Rasmus Dahlin scoring his third goal of the year, giving the Sabres the 1-0 lead on a 4-on-3 powerplay.
Edmonton's Darnell Nurse answered shortly after during 4-on-4 action to tie the game at 1-1.
The Sabres wasted no time, once again, in the beginning of the second period when center Tage Thompson added his first tally of the year just 44 seconds into the period. Around five minutes later, rookie winger JJ Peterka scored his second goal of the early season on a breakaway, making the score 3-1, Sabres.
The real star of the show on Tuesday night was goaltender Eric Comrie for Buffalo. For most of the rest of the night, Edmonton failed to score, because of Comrie's strong play in net.
Despite giving up a goal to see the lead trimmed to just one, the Sabres put the game away with Dylan Cozens and Alex Tuch forcing the puck to the Oilers' end, and Tuch potting an empty net goal
Buffalo's young squad was able to keep up with some of the league's best and edge out the Oilers for their second win.
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Here are this game's three observations:
1.) Stellar goaltending
Comrie was named the game's first start after recording 46 saves on 48 shots faced. That's why he is also this game's first observation.
The 27-year-old stole the second half of this game away from the Oilers, and had a huge part to do with the win.
Signing with the Sabres in the offseason on a two-year, $3.6 million deal, Comrie was looking for a team with a vacancy at the starter position after being a career backup goaltender with the Winnipeg Jets. He has earned his keep so far in this season, posting an impressive .929 save percentage in two games.
Between Comrie and veteran Craig Anderson, the Sabres have two goalies with very different career paths but the same goal: proving that they have what it takes to start in the NHL.
With the determination from Comrie, and the experience of Anderson, the Sabres have a duo that will be hard to beat.
2.) Physicality
For the last 10 years, the Sabres have been metaphorically, and literally knocked around. From being beaten down year-after-year with loses, to being beat down on the ice by more physical teams, the Sabres seemed to have had enough.
Defenseman Ilya Lyubushkin is one of the players that can bring the boom for Buffalo, as the team finds it's new identity. Lyubushkin laid two massive hits on Oilers forwards Dylan Holloway and Leon Draisaitl in this game, one of which led to a Sabres power play.
A few Buffalo players like Cozens have been known to throw his weight around in year's past, but Lyubushkin's style seems to be wearing off on the whole team. Even players like Dahlin and Thompson are getting in on the physical play, as well.
A contagious mindset like that can be very beneficial for a team who has always seemed to need that edge. Lyubuskin's input will be one that helps the team through the later parts of the season when games get much more intense.
3.) The kid from Sweden
This could be directed at a large portion of the Sabres roster and prospect pipeline, but this focuses in on Buffalo's 2018 first overall pick.
Dahlin was touted as one of the best defensemen of his generation going into the 2018 draft, and the Sabres were lucky enough to draft him. While his first few seasons with the Sabres showed many growing pains, Dahlin seems to have fully arrived, and looks ready to take the NHL by storm.
The 22-year-old defenseman was named an alternate captain for this season, as well. He seems to have stepped right into the role, sticking up for his teammates night-in and night-out.
He has already scored three goals in just three games, as well as recording one assist. Dahlin has fully transformed his silky smooth hands, wicked shot, and physical play to the NHL game.
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The Sabres continue their road trip around the Western Conference by traveling just 183 miles south to Calgary to take on the Flames on Thursday night. The Flames are off to a hot start, winning their first three games of the year.
"Sabres After Dark" will continue with puck drop scheduled for 9:30 p.m. ET in Calgary. Pregame coverage on WGR starts at 8:30 p.m. ET on Thursday with Brian Koziol and Paul Hamilton.
