The Buffalo Sabres had been in pretty much every game they've taken part in so far this season. However, the Sabres never felt in control on Tuesday night in a 5-3 loss to the San Jose Sharks at SAP Center.
The Sabres went down early off a goal from Sharks center Jonathan Dahlen. Buffalo got a quick answer off a goal from Jeff Skinner, but rookie defenseman Ryan Merkley would answer right back for the Sharks around four minutes after that.
From that point on, it was all San Jose.
Tomas Hertl took over the game in the second period to put the Sharks up two, and he added a dagger in the third period that put the Sabres down by three goals.
Let's take a look at three observations from Tuesday's game:
Tomas HertlEzra Shaw - Getty Images
1.) No one had an answer for Hertl
Remember that bit about Hertl taking over the game? That's not really an exaggeration.
Hertl's goal in the second put the Sharks up 3-1, but it was his goal in the third period that really turned some heads.
Hertl took the puck through center ice and found some space. He then attacked space in front of Sabres defensman Rasmus Dahlin. Dahlin did not try to engage with Hertl, who walked right around the young defenseman of already 206 NHL games.
With the Sharks shorthanded in the lineup, Hertl was the one who stepped up and delivered for San Jose, and the Sabres defenders allowed that to happen.
Jeff SkinnerStan Szeto - USA TODAY Sports
2.) Skinner does his best to keep Buffalo in this one
For the past couple seasons, Skinner has struggled to put the puck in the net. While his underlying numbers suggest he's helped to drive offense for the Sabres, Skinner's finishing ability has completely diminished.
That finishing ability returned for Skinner on Tuesday night.
The former 40-goal scorer did his best to keep the Sabres in this one early, connecting off a pass between the top of each circle from Vinnie Hinostroza. That goal pulled the Sabres and Sharks back at an even 1-1 score.
Skinner's second goal late in the third wouldn't be enough for the Sabres to overcome the Sharks, but getting Skinner going in the goal column would be a nice development for a team that's in just the third year of his eight-year deal.
Stan Szeto - USA TODAY Sports
3.) Olofsson missed in the lineup
Sabres leading scorer on the season, Victor Olofsson was missing on Tuesday due to, what's being described as, a soft-tissue injury. His missing presence in the lineup was surely felt by the Sabres.
On the season, Olofsson leads the team not only in goals and points, but his 5-on-5 play this season puts him at a 57.68 xGF%, indicating he is typically on the offensive end more often than not.
The 26-year-old forms a formidable line with Sabres forwards Rasmus Asplund and Tage Thompson. They'll want to get him back as soon as possible - he's a major piece as to why the Sabres have been so successful early in the season.
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The Sabres head northwest to a land otherwise unknown or forgotten by the NHL for over 100 years - Seattle. They head to Climate Pledge Arena to take on the NHL's newest expansion team, the Seattle Kraken.
We'll start things off with Sabres pregame coverage starting at 9 p.m. ET with Brian Koziol. Puck drop is scheduled to take place just after 10 p.m. ET on the radio home of the Sabres - WGR Sports Radio 550.
