Sabres are winning in different ways

Los Angeles, CA. (WGR) - Last season the Buffalo Sabres won the Atlantic Division because they could find ways to win games in many different ways. The last two games in California have felt like last season for numerous reasons.

On Tuesday it was low scoring, low chance hockey. Colten Ellis kept the game at 1-0 until Zach Benson netted the empty netter. On Thursday midway through the first period the Sabres were down 3-1. They proceeded to score six straight goals to go into the third period up 7-3. The Anaheim Ducks scored their third power play goal of the game and then added two 6-on-5 goals, but Buffalo won 7-6.

Another thing that happened in these two games is on Tuesday in San Jose, Buffalo led the Sharks 1-0 meaning it was the first time all season they entered the third period with a lead, They did it for a second time in Anaheim. Last year the numbers were mighty impressive. The Colorado Avalanche were 41-0-0, the Stanley Cup Champion Carolina Hurricanes were 37-2-2 and the Sabres were 35-2-0. This year it's now 2-0-0.

With his hat trick against the Ducks, Tage Thompson now has eight goals which is 11th in the NHL. That's 52 goals over 84 games. Former Sabre Alex Tuch is third in the NHL with 10. That's a 70 goal pace over 84 games.

Going into Friday's action Buffalo is 11th in the Eastern Conference, one point out of the Wild Card and the Florida Panthers. In the Atlantic Division, they're two points in back of the third place Tampa Bay Lightning, three in back of the second place Montreal Canadiens, and four behind the first place Boston Bruins.

If we go by points percentage,

Carolina: .800

Tampa Bay: .708

Montreal: .692

Boston: .679

Washington: .667

New Jersey: .615

Florida: .615

Islanders: .615

Buffalo: .577

Detroit: .577

Buffalo is 4-1-3 picking up points in 7-of-8 games. That's a .688 points percentage. They are 2-0-1 on their current road trip. In Canada they went 1-0-2.

Thompson has six points in two games, Zach Benson has 10 points in seven games, Jack Quinn has 10 points in eight games.

Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen was in the starters net in practice on Friday. He's 2-1-2 in his last five games. Overall he's 3-3-3 with a 3.56 goals against and .866 save percentage.

Lindy Ruff held Noah Ostlund off the ice on Friday calling it a maintenance day. He said Ostlund will be available on Saturday.

Counting last season and the two wins this year, the Sabres are 15-2-1 against the Pacific Division and 8-1-1 on the road.

The Kings started the season with a six-game losing streak going 0-4-2. Since then they're 4-2-0 picking up an overtime win over the Ottawa Senators on Thursday. At 4-6-2 they're 14th in the Western Conference.

In goal Darcy Kuemper is 4-3-1 with a 3.65 goals against and .878 save percentage. Anton Forsberg is 0-3-1 with a 2.39 goals against and .902 save percentage.

Artemi Panarin has eight goals and five assists for 13 points in 12 games.

On Saturday join Brian Koziol and me for the pregame starting at 3:00 for the pregame when you'll hear from Ruff, Quinn, and Sam Carrick.