Buffalo, N.Y. (WGR Sports Radio 550) - Over the course of the 2025-26 Buffalo Sabres season, we’ll be looking back after every five games, inspired by head coach Lindy Ruff’s philosophy of gaining six points out of a possible 10 in every five-game stretch. We will recap the previous segment of games, and share some thoughts on what was seen on the ice.
Here's a look back at the last five games for Buffalo:
Game 1: Sabres triumphant over Canadiens
This 5-3 Sabres win over the Montreal Canadiens was an electric night in Keybank Center. Not only was the game itself critical for the standings as the Sabres tried to chase down a top 3 spot in the Atlantic, it was ‘05/’06 reunion night.
The ‘05/’06 Sabres were one of the greatest teams in the history of the franchise, and certainly the most iconic. Some of my absolute earliest memories as a 4-year old boy were of this team. The Brian Campbell hit on R.J. Umberger, the J.P. Dumont running man celebration, Daniel Briere’s magic, with Rick Jeanneret’s voice narrating it all. That season laid the groundwork for my own hockey fandom, and it did the same for a generation of hockey fans in Buffalo.
So, following an incredible opening ceremony that featured most of the ‘05/’06 team on the ice to be honored by a sold out crowd, the Sabres had some big shoes to fill. In true ‘05/’06 fashion, they gave Buffalo a show.
The excitement hit right away, though Montreal struck first. Buffalo responded to the questionable goal given up by Colten Ellis with a Tage Thompson wrist shot that beat Montreal’s young netminder Jacob Fowler on their first opportunity on the power play. Both young netminders looked to be off their game early.
Josh Doan added another power play goal when he put on a clinic in patience and skill, firing one over Fowler's shoulder from a bad angle. Ivan Demidov went on to tie the game at 2 on a 5-on-3 at 14:20 of the first period and Nick Suzuki added another power play goal for the Canadiens to take a 3-2 lead just 3:05 into the second period. Alex Tuch tied it up at 3 at 8:55 of the second period off a great pass from Thompson. Thompson netted the game winner with yet another great play from Doan early in the third period, and added an empty net goal to complete the hat trick and seal the game.
Thompson is obviously top of mind in this one after a hat trick performance that also saw him add a pair of assists, bringing his point total to 5. Thompson’s ability to score has always been his greatest attribute, but he has really shown a growing understanding of how to use his massive 6’6” frame to protect the puck and leverage defenders into bad positions.
Owen Power also had a quietly effective night. Power is and will continue to be a polarizing figure on this Sabres team. Fans are frustrated by his defensive blunders that do pop up far too often, but his puck movement skills were on full display in this one.
Ellis took fans for a ride in this one again. He does make some big, timely saves for the team, which he absolutely does deserve credit for. However his unorthodox approach to the position seems a bit over-active to me, and opens him and his team up to some unpredictable plays. There’s no better example than the decision he made late to leave the net and try to fire a clearing attempt down the ice from the top of the circles. His attempt was intercepted, and a wild scramble ensued in which Montreal had multiple chances to tie the game late. It was an unnecessary threat that could’ve easily been avoided with a better decision from Ellis. While it didn’t bite them this time, it’s the kind of thing that concerns me with Ellis minding the crease.
It was truly an incredible night in Buffalo. A celebration of what Sabres hockey meant at its peak, and a glimpse of what could be to come with this core featuring players like Thompson, Doan, and Rasmus Dahlin.
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Game 2: Wild beat Sabres in wild affair
The Sabres were able to charge back to earn a point in this 5-4 road overtime loss to the Minnesota Wild after falling behind 3-1 early in the second period. Marcus Foligno and Ryan McLeod traded questionable goals in the first period before Ryan Hartman scored with just seconds remaining to give Minnesota a 2-1 lead after 1. Vladimir Taresenko added to the lead 1:07 into the second, prompting a flurry of Sabres goals from Peyton Krebs, Jack Quinn, and then Tuch to put them ahead 4-3. Quinn Hughes responded to tie the game at 4 late in the second. A scoreless third period earned both teams a point while Mats Zuccarello hammered home the game winner on a seam pass to finish the action.
A three point game is never bad against a Western Conference opponent, and Buffalo did well to charge back and get this one to overtime. It’s a level of resilience rarely seen in the dark days of the Sabres drought, and a major source of the hope many fans feel when thinking about this team’s chances of finally making it.
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen’s game has really trended in a positive direction since the Sabres turned their season around, but this game was not his best. 35 shots is no light workload, but 5 goals against is tough to win with. The Foligno goal is a good example of the struggles in Luukkonen’s game. He overpursues on a non-threatening pass to a bad angle, sliding himself out of position and completely out of the play made to the net. He ends up falling onto his back reaching to try to get a piece of a rolling puck from Foligno that squeezes underneath his desperate arm on the near side. When he’s at his best, Luukkonen is under control and rarely loses his crease.
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Game 3: Bussi holds off Sabres
The Sabres fell 2-1 to the Carolina Hurricanes on this Monday afternoon matchup as the Sabres continue their incredible winless streak in Raleigh that stretches back to 2016. Dahlin opened the scoring just 1:33 into the first period, potting what would be the Sabres only goal in the matchup. Andrei Svechnikov tied it up after a sloppy turnover in the neutral zone and soft coverage on the ensuing rush. After a scoreless second, Carolina captain Sebastian Aho deposited his own rebound on the power play to make it 2-1 early in the third.
It was a frustrating game for the Sabres, as Carolina goaltender Brandon Bussi put on quite possibly the most impressive 18-save performance I’ve ever seen. Despite the low volume, the Sabres generated plenty of high danger scoring chances. Bussi made stop after stop, including a save of the year candidate on Thompson.
There were some questionable puck management decisions again in this one, a common theme that head coach Lindy Ruff continues to harp on. These decisions pop up at both ends of the ice, whether they be throwing careless outlet passes that turn possession over, or passing up on premier scoring chances to find another look.
These are the minutia this Sabres team has to learn how to get right consistently, and this game is a great example of why. One more goal would have turned the tide and likely earned them at least a point in an extremely tight playoff race.
While the power play has gotten some improved results of late, it was a non-factor in this one as well. In a tight game like this, special teams can often mean the difference, and Carolina’s unit was able to break the tie on the power play which ultimately won them the game. GM Jarmo Kekäläinen should be looking to add some help on the power play as the trade deadline approaches, and his history suggests he will act on his needs.
2024 first-round pick Konsta Helenius made his NHL debut in the loss, an exciting young forward with dynamic skating ability. He looked comfortable in his limited action, only playing 10:47, but showing off the intelligence and skating that earned him his draft position. He’s had a strong start with the Sabres AHL affiliate Rochester Americans with 9 goals and 21 assists for 30 points through 34 games. He now has a chance to really show what he can do while Josh Norris rehabs an upper-body injury.
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Game 4: Sabres fend off Predators
The Sabres got back to their winning ways with a 5-3 win over the Predators in Nashville. Noah Ostlund buried a pair of goals in the first period before Helenius potted his first NHL goal to give the Sabres a 3-0 lead after 1.
This Benson-Ostlund-Helenius line was electric to watch in the first period. Every shift their combination of skill, energy, and intelligence was on display. It was an exciting line in concept, and exceeded expectations in practice.
4:20 into the second period, Thompson wired one past Nashville netminder Juuse Saros, ending his night as the Predators made a goalie change after the Sabres lead stretched to 4.
The Predators veterans dragged them back into the fight though, as they stormed back with 3 unanswered goals. Former Sabres Ryan O’Reilly snuck a 5-hole shot through Alex Lyon who was making his first start back from a lower-body injury. This was followed by a well-placed shot from Filip Forsberg to make it 4-2 heading into the second intermission.
The Predators run continued with O’Reilly’s second of the night which he flipped over Lyon’s shoulder on a good rush chance.
Buffalo was able to lock it down after that, and Krebs put it to bed with an empty netter at 18:14 of the third period.
The Sabres offense continues to score at an impressive clip. Since the Sabres winning streak started, they average 3.76 goals per game. This consistent ability to put up high goal totals allows the team to play with confidence and vigor, trusting they will be able to climb out of a hole if they find themselves in one.
The way the team is scoring is what I find most exciting. A significant chunk of these goals are being scored directly in front of the net, or with traffic in front. I find this significant because these are the types of goals you can score no matter what, and when combined with high end talents like Thompson and Tuch, it’s a sustainable way to generate offense no matter your opponent or situation.
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Game 5: Sabres edge out Canadiens in Montreal
Jason Zucker broke the game open for the Sabres less than a minute into the first period, finishing off a slick 2-on-1 pass from Quinn, and Beck Malenstyn added a short handed goal with a great net drive play.
The play of the Sabres bottom-6 players, like Malenstyn, has been critical to the Sabres success this season. Malenstyn and the other role guys like him consistently bring energy through strong forechecking and responsible play. When combined with the occasional jolt of offense like this one, it takes a huge amount of pressure off the rest of the lineup.
Zach Benson scored in front to make it 3-0 Sabres early in the second off a great effort the Sabres new ‘kid line’ with Ostlund centering Benson and Helenius. Their chemistry is already growing, even in their limited time together.
Montreal got on the board shortly after when Cole Caufield found a soft spot in the middle of the Sabres defensive zone and placed a one-timer inside the post to beat Luukkonen and cut the Sabres lead to 2. Montreal dominated the play for a stretch, and Suzuki made it 3-2 after a careless turnover by Samuelsson gifted the Canadiens a grade A chance.
This trend for the Sabres is growing into a concern. They work hard and play the way that Lindy Ruff demands, they find success doing it and earn a lead, and then once they’re up things seem to ease up and they let their opposition worm their way back into the fight. It’s a dangerous game, especially against a potent offensive team like the Canadiens.
The third period reached a blazing pace that was really a spectacle to watch. Both the Sabres and Canadiens are chock full of young talent that play a fast game, both in terms of footspeed and puck movement. It was on full display in the third with both teams trading chances flying up and down the ice.
Buffalo was able to survive the push from the Canadiens, and Krebs fired one into the empty net to seal it at 4-2 late in the third. As frustrating as the lapses in play can be, the Sabres deserve a lot of credit for continuing to find a way to win. Not every game can be pretty, and winning ugly ones is a big part of being a good team.
These 2 points were huge in the standings as they closed the gap to Montreal for third in the division to just 2 with a game in hand. Buffalo’s incredible turnaround has rocketed them up the league standings, but the Atlantic Division continues to be one of the most dominant across the league. Four of the top eight teams in points in the entire NHL are in the Atlantic, which makes the Sabres lives much more difficult as they try to break into the top-3 of the division.
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Highlight players
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen has really turned his game around in the crease for Buffalo, especially with Lyon absent due to injury for the majority of this set. Luukkonen’s play at home has been stellar all year, earning an 8-1 record with a .915 sv%, but his road game has caught up and he’s becoming more and more consistent. He appears to be much more comfortable in his crease, staying under control more often and trusting his teammates to help him out. The stability he’s brought to the crease allows the team in front of him to play free, trusting he can help them out when it’s needed.
Konsta Helenius made quite the impression in his first 3 NHL games, scoring a nice goal and adding 3 assists for 4 points. At just 19 years old, Helenius is already showing why he was the Sabres 14th overall pick in the 2024 draft. He has a keen eye for the game, with a good understanding of how to play with the spacing and pace needed to be effective at the NHL level. His line with the other youngsters Benson and Ostlund has garnered a lot of praise, and deservedly so. They play the game like a group of savvy veterans, but are all below the age of 22.
Owen Power has also quietly been trending in a good direction. While his counting stats are certainly not going to wow you, with just 1 assist through these last 5 games, his impact on the game is obvious to anyone watching with a close eye. His ability to transport pucks out of the defensive zone is impressive, both with his skating and passing ability. This consistency getting pucks out of his own end limits the time spent defending, where he does make too many mistakes. However, if he’s never playing in his own end because he’s so good at getting it out, those mistakes will dwindle, and the counting stats will begin to pile up. He’s a massively talented player who just needs to find a bit more consistency and focus.
Sabres gain 7-of-10 points
The Sabres met the mark in this set of games, earning themselves 3 regulation wins and an overtime loss, only dropping one in regulation to Carolina. This pace keeps them on track to stay above the projected playoff line, which is really an incredible feat considering their poor start to the season. They continued to show a resiliency and commitment that has been missing from Buffalo’s teams for years, and it’s led the fanbase to buy back in and embrace the identity they’ve built.
Looking ahead, the grind doesn’t stop with 3 big-time divisional matchups in their next 5-game set. They’ll start in New York with a Saturday matinee against the Islanders before heading up to Toronto for a huge game with the Leafs. They return home to face the Kings and Canadiens again before they wrap things up on the road against the Panthers. It’s crunch time now, and the Sabres are in good form.
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