Sabres hoping to keep recent success against Western Conference teams rolling

Buffalo, N.Y. (WGR) - Just before the Buffalo Sabres' season took off last year in early December, they lost a game to the Flames, 7-4, in Calgary. Since then, they've played 22 games against Western Conference opponents and have gone 19-0-3 along the way.

Thursday night brings the Stars to town, as the Sabres have recently played well against Dallas, going 2-1-1.

Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen is likely back in net for Buffalo on Thursday. He has put up very good numbers against Dallas in his career with a 2.23 goals-against average and a .924 save percentage, but has had hard luck, going 2-3-0.

Buffalo has won two-straight games, and is 2-1-0 on the early season. They are one of three teams in the Atlantic Division with that record, while the Florida Panthers are in first place at 2-0-2.

In Tuesday's come-from-behind win over the Minnesota Wild in Buffalo, the Sabres killed 3-of-4 penalties against them, but are still 26th in the NHL. Meanwhile, the power play remains dead last in the league with no goals.

Sabres defenseman Owen Power scored the overtime winner against the Wild, and is the team's leading scorer through the first three games with a goal and four assists for five points.

In the third period Tuesday night, the Sabres were trailing 2-0. Head coach Lindy Ruff went down to three lines and put Peyton Krebs back with Tage Thompson, along with Jiri Kulich.

Krebs forced Quinn Hughes into a turnover and fed Thompson right in his wheelhouse to tie the game at 2-2.

After the game, Thompson said how much he likes playing with Krebs.

"It's not hard to have chemistry with a guy like that," said Thompson following Tuesday's win. "He works extremely hard, and I can't say enough good things about that guy. Great teammate, and just someone that's always working at getting better.

"I think fans love him because of how hard he works. I think a lot of people forget he has a lot of high-end skill. I love playing with him. Just his ability to hound pucks and find guys that are in open ice."

Krebs is very humble, but he is now very confident that he can play on any line with any player on this team. The forward started the season on a line with Thompson, was moved, and now is back with the 40-goal scorer.

The 25-year-old doesn't care if he's at center or at wing, or who his linemates are.

"Whoever I'm playing with, I try to bring the same energy, bite and competitiveness that puts you to a high standard," said Krebs after practice Wednesday. "If you don't make that play, [Thompson's] coming to the bench saying, ''Krebsy', let's go. Let's make that play. Let's do our thing.' So we put that hard work in and it elevates you."

Krebs does enjoy any time he gets on the ice with Thompson.

"I enjoy finding him, because he scores," he said with a laugh.

"It's our sixth year together, and I just work to try to get him pucks, find him make plays, and I think he knows that I want to find him. So he's trying to get open."

Krebs set career-highs last season by scoring 12 goals and adding 27 assists for 39 points.

The veteran seems to make huge strides in his game every season. He says he, of course, tries to get stronger, but admits it's something else that drives him.

"It's more the mindset, 'I can beat that guy in that battle.' And not only I'm confident in my strength, but in my ability too," Krebs said. "Two years ago, it might have been, 'I'm strong enough, but I might not be able to beat that guy.' But now I'm strong enough, and I can beat that guy."

Dallas lost their first two games this season to the St. Louis Blues and Nashville Predators, before waxing the San Jose Sharks in their most recent game, 5-0. Stars goalie Jake Oettinger only faced 13 shots in Monday's win, and earned the shutout.

Oettinger is 1-1-0 this season with a 1.01 goals-against average and a .943 save percentage. He's 5-1-1 against Buffalo all-time with a 2.57 goals-against average and a .915 save percentage.

In three games, no one on the Stars' roster has more than two points.

Join Zach Jones and Derek Kramer for pregame coverage on WGR, starting at 6 p.m. when you'll hear from Ruff, Krebs, Noah Östlund and Jason Zucker, who has begun practicing again with his teammates after offseason surgery in August.