Nashville, Tenn. (WGR 550) – Thursday’s 4-2 loss in Nashville to the Predators is the exact game the Buffalo Sabres have to learn how to win if they want to become a good team.
The Sabres played an overtime game in Toronto on Wednesday, and didn’t get into their rooms until around 4 a.m. EST on Thursday.
Come game time later that evening, despite only having 16 shots through 40 minutes, Buffalo only trailed by a 2-1 score.
Good teams find ways to win that game or, at least, get a point. Even if they were fighting physical fatigue, it seemed like mental fatigue took over, and the Preds got out to a 4-1 lead in the third period thanks to a Filip Forsberg hat-trick.
On one of the goals, Owen Power was in front with Forsberg, but he got fooled into thinking the puck was going to go behind the net and he vacated the front. Forsberg got the pass, put a nifty move on Eric Comrie and scored.
With Casey Mittelstadt traded and Tage Thompson out injured, Buffalo’s centers were Dylan Cozens, Peyton Krebs, Zemgus Girgensons and Jordan Greenway.
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The one bright spot for the Sabres on Thursday was newly acquired defenseman Bo Byram. He scored early in the first period, as he came through the left circle and ripped a shot past Juuse Saros.
Byram also helped close out the scoring, as he made a nice pass to set up Power coming through the slot.
The 22-year-old got to Nashville on Wednesday night, which allowed him to play his first game with the Sabres on Thursday. He says he was happy when he heard the trade was to Buffalo.
"There were a lot of things going through my mind. I was just super excited," Byram said on Thursday. "I know it’s a good young team here with a bright future, so just excited to be a part of things."
Byram has played with Cozens, Krebs, Jack Quinn and Erik Johnson, as well as Devon Levi, who's currently in Rochester with the Americans. He says all that made Buffalo an attractive place to go.
"I was super excited to go somewhere where I knew some of the guys, and I would feel comfortable right away," Byram said. "A lot of good friends here, and it’s fun to [get] started."
Watching him play, the way he skates pops right out at you.
"I think I’m at my best when I’m skating, using my feet to get out of situations. That’s what I try to focus on mostly," Byram said.
Byram’s goal came at the 4:23 mark of the first period, and says it was just nice to get it out of the way immediately.
"It was obviously not how you wanted your first game with your new team to end, but we’ll head back to Buffalo and I’ll try to get my life somewhat sorted, and get ready to play again," he said.
Byram not only had to learn his new teammates in his first game on Thursday, but Buffalo’s defensive system is totally different than what was played with the Colorado Avalanche. Byram was still skating well and up in the play.
'It was a bit of a learning experience, playing with a new team and new system, a new partner and new line mates. It’s something I’ll continue to work through and build on," Byram said.
Rasmus Dahlin was Byram's defensive partner on Thursday, who was communicating quite a bit with Byram, which the newcomer appreciated.
"He’s a really good player, and is very smart and sees the game very well," Byram said of Dahlin. "He was very good at communicating what he thought he was seeing out there, and what we could’ve done. That was awesome of him."
Byram also played 4:04 on the power play with Dahlin on Thursday night, which he thought he played OK.
"I turned the puck over a couple of times, but I’m just trying to get to know guys' tendencies. Where they want the puck, and what I’m going to do with it when I get it. It’s going to be a learning curve," Byram explained.
Byram got a lot of ice-time, as he played 24:58 in his first game with the Sabres. As for Dahlin, he played 26:05 of ice-time.
The Sabres are off Friday, but will face the Edmonton Oilers on Saturday afternoon back in Buffalo.
