For the first time since the 2012-13 season, the Buffalo Sabres earn a win in the team's regular season home opener.
The Sabres are 2-0-0 to start the 2019-20 season after a dominating 7-2 win over the New Jersey Devils on Saturday night at KeyBank Center.
Buffalo got an early power play chance to start the game after a holding call to New Jersey defenseman Will Butcher. The Sabres went to work on the man advantage, and Victor Olofsson scored his first goal of the season as he was allowed free at the top of the faceoff circle to fire a wrist shot right by Mackenzie Blackwood.
The Sabres got another chance on the power play later in the period as Devils forward Blake Coleman was penalized for holding in the offensive zone. Just 22-seconds into Buffalo's power play time, Jack Eichel netted his first goal of the season after Olofsson forced a turnover in behind the Devils net, followed by Jeff Skinner poking the puck past Blackwood to Eichel with a wide-open net.
The Sabres controlled the pace of play all period, and it showed with a 15-4 shot advantage and the 2-0 lead.
The Devils opened the second period with a goal of their own as Kyle Palmieri found space in the slot and fired a quick shot over the glove of goalie Carter Hutton just 37-seconds in.
However, the Sabres responded a short time later as Rasmus Dahlin's shot from the point hit Kyle Okposo in front and deflected in pas Blackwood in net. Later in the period, Marcus Johansson stole the puck away from the Devils and went in on a 3-on-2 with Skinner and Vladimir Sobotka. The Sabres center carried the puck into the zone and found Skinner, who put it away to give the Sabres a 4-1 lead.
Shortly after that, Buffalo found themselves on the power play for the third time on the night and once again, it was Olofsson who converted to give Buffalo a 5-1 lead.
It was the Sabres who, once again, controlled the pace of the play in the period, out-shooting the Devils 12-8, and dominating on the scoreboard.
The third period saw the Devils get off to a fast start again. Travis Zajac did his best to lead a comeback for the Devils with a goal 58-seconds into the period, but the Sabres had other plans.
Nearly three minutes later, Sam Reinhart scored on a wicked bar-down wrist shot from the top of the right circle to extend Buffalo's lead back to four goals. Reinhart ended up closing out the night with his second goal of the period with a great breakaway goal off a giveaway by Devils defenseman P.K. Subban.
Hutton did not get tested much in his second win of the season, but was strong throughout the night with 18 saves on 20 shots faced. Blackwood was tested from start to finish by a relentless Buffalo offense, and ended his night with just 29 saves on 36 shots faced.
1.) Jack Eichel (BUF)2.) Victor Olofsson (BUF)3.) Sam Reinhart (BUF)
The Sabres go out on the road for a Monday night matchup with the Columbus Blue Jackets at Nationwide Arena. Faceoff is set for 7 p.m. on WGR with pre-game coverage starting at 6 p.m. with Mike Schopp and the Bulldog.