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.
Game 1 - Luukkonen Shines in Vegas
The Sabres began this 5-game set with a late night affair in Vegas. The first leg of a 4-game Western swing. This 2-0 win was all about Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, as he put together what I would call the best performance of his NHL career. Luukkonen pitched his first shutout of the year, making all 29 saves and frustrating the Golden Knights from start to finish.
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - MARCH 17: Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen #1 and Mattias Samuelsson #23 of the Buffalo Sabres defend the net against Mark Stone #61 of the Vegas Golden Knights in the second period of their game at T-Mobile Arena on March 17, 2026 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images
The Sabres got off to a sluggish start and Luukkonen was called on to make a handful of great stops on an early penalty kill to keep the game scoreless, which got him involved early and helped him establish what became a very strong groove.
Late in what was a mostly sloppy first period for the Sabres, Josh Doan came screaming into the Vegas zone on the forecheck in typical Doan fashion, intercepted a poorly placed pass by Vegas netminder Adin Hill, and banked the puck in off Hill’s pad as he attempted to retreat to his net.
Doan’s bank shot ended up being the only goal scored with a goalie in the net for the entire game. Josh Norris added an empty netter with less than a minute left in the 3rd to bring the game to its final score of 2-0.
Luukkonen’s game was nothing short of spectacular. He displayed the athleticism and battle that makes him such an intriguing netminder, while also showing a bit more control and patience than he typically does. He allowed the game to come to him when he could, and attacked when he needed to.
This has always been his biggest weakness to my eye, he is talented, but he is often overly aggressive. He struck the balance of trusting his reads and trusting his positioning in this one. If he can find that zone consistently, he has the potential to turn into a much more consistent starter in this league.
This was also the first game we saw deadline acquisition Logan Stanley pair up with the Sabres analytical darling Zach Metsa. Metsa’s calming presence seemed to help calm Stanley down making them an effective shutdown pair that played simple, smart hockey. This was by far Stanley’s best performance since arriving in Buffalo.
This game was another example of the Sabres finding a different way to win. Buffalo certainly did not have the same speed and flair we have grown accustomed to expecting from the team, but this team is showing a real knack for understanding what the game calls for, and how to execute what is necessary.
The Sabres knew it was a goalie battle, Luukkonen was locked in from the moment the puck dropped. Hill was similarly impressive, with his one mistake being the only real difference in the game. The Sabres understood that and played within themselves, trusting Luukkonen to do his job. He did, and the team got their win.
Game 2 - Sabres Shutout Sharks
Alex Lyon kept the shutout train rolling as the Sabres topped the Sharks 5-0 after another slow start.
Lyon was called on early in the game, just like Luukkonen against the Golden Knights. The Sabres were loose, allowing the dangerous Sharks team to have a handful of opportunities off the rush. Lyon stepped up to the plate and made the saves which allowed the Sabres to search for, and eventually find, their game.
It took until midway through the second for Buffalo to come alive. Noah Ostlund drew first blood, when a Doan wrister off the rush bounced off the back wall and onto his stick. Ostlund deposited the somewhat lucky chance in the net and gave the Sabres a 1-0 lead.
This led to a quick flurry of goals as Sam Carrick scored 36 seconds later with a wicked wrister that beat Sharks goalie Alex Nedeljkovic over the shoulder. Rasmus Dahlin tapped in an incredible pass from Jason Zucker a little over a minute later and just like that the Sabres were up 3-0.
Tage Thompson got in on the party at the start of the third period when he blasted a wrist shot right through Nedeljkovic and made it 4-0. Buffalo cruised from there with Lyon making a few more solid saves to preserve the shutout, and Carrick adding a 5th goal when he tipped a Stanley point shot that rattled its way in.
Another ho-hum victory for the buzz saw Sabres.
Once again the Sabres goaltending and team defense earned them a shutout. After being labeled as a “River Hockey” team by a fellow NHL player (hey, not everybody who plays in the league watches the league), it was certainly a statement.
This team likely feels like as big an underdog as there can be, despite their place in the standings. The Sabres have been a laughing stock for these players' entire career. They were looked at as a joke. An example of why players want no move clauses in their contracts. But now, they are back, and they are good. Great, even. The NHL may not remember what that looks like, but this team appears determined to remind them.
The Stanley-Metsa pair was once again a story in this one as they appeared to be building some solid chemistry in rapid fashion. They found their way to 3 assists between the two of them, 2 for Stanley and 1 for Metsa. They didn’t make flashy plays, or take big risks. They kept it simple, moved the puck, and defended their ice. All a 3rd pair ever needs to do in the NHL. There are a lot of bodies on the blue line for the Sabres, but it would be hard to find a reason to rock this boat.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 21: Logan Stanley #64 of the Buffalo Sabres celebrates a goal with Sam Carrick #10 against the Los Angeles Kings in the third period at Crypto.com Arena on March 21, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images
Game 3 - Sabres Dethrone Kings
Buffalo’s wagon rolled through Los Angeles next, topping the Kings 4-1 in another decisive victory.
Artemi Panarin and the Kings did strike first with a power play goal midway through the first period, but the Sabres carried the majority of play 5 on 5.
Thompson erased the Kings 1-0 lead 4:05 into the second period with a gorgeous display of patience as he outwaited Kings netminder Anton Forsberg and tucked a rebound inside the post.
The Sabres took the lead at 11:12 of the second when Carrick drove the net and beat Forsberg, making good use of the space Zach Benson created by absorbing a monster hit from Joel Edmundson. Benson’s willingness to take a hit creates plays like this constantly, and is a real testament to the under-sized forwards toughness.
After a quiet stretch, Dahlin unloaded a power play one-timer that rattled around and eventually found its way into the net to make it 3-1 Sabres. Benson earned an empty netter that made it 4-1 with 2:25 left.
The Sabres fourth-line has been rocking for some time now, but this trip has been on another level. Benson’s addition to the group brings a much higher ceiling in terms of playmaking and scoring ability. Sabres head coach Lindy Ruff likes to roll his forward lines, and adding a scoring dimension to what is already a great energy line could be a huge asset for the team.
This is a few games in a row the Sabres have shown an ability to adjust their game and find success depending on the situation. Buffalo started the game with a few too many forced passes and misguided decisions. The team was able to identify this issue, and correct it. The ability to adapt and willingness to listen to coaching is not something this team, even with these players, has been able to or willing to do in the past. There are many things that changed that led them to their turnaround this year, but that is a big one.
Game 4 - Sabres Lose a Nail-Biter to Ducks
The Sabres delivered on their “River Hockey” reputation for the first time since the comments were made amidst their road trip, falling to the Anaheim Ducks 6-5 in OT in a thrilling Sunday night matchup.
The Sabres did jump out to an early lead when Alex Tuch buried a sneaky behind the back pass from Owen Power just 3:36 into the game.
The Ducks answered with back-to-back power play goals though, the first from Chris Kreider who hammered a one-timer past Lyon on a bit of a weird entry play. It looked like Lyon got confused on where the pass was heading, and never seemed to find Kreider until he had already scored. Jackson LaCombe beat Lyon from distance a few minutes later as he unloaded a wrister that pinged off the post to make it 2-1 Ducks.
Doan tied it back up at 2 late in the first with a nice finish after a determined Ostlund setup.
Beckett Sennecke broke the tie 2:35 into the second frame with a strong drive to the back post that beat both Lyon and Dahlin. Then, Troy Terry built the Ducks lead to 4-2 when the Sabres allowed him to walk straight to the middle of the ice and beat Lyon on his backhand.
The Sabres opened it up in the third, throwing caution to the wind and jumping into the proverbial river.
Jack Quinn made his mark, ripping a shot past Ville Husso to cut the Ducks lead in half. After a series of impressive saves from Lyon, a point shot from Power deflected off a Ducks defender and tied the game at 4 with 9:55 remaining. A little over a minute later Benson potted another goal after Dahlin made the second no-look pass from behind the net by a Sabres defenseman (what a sentence that is).
Then at 17:26 Tuch got enough of Sennecke’s skate to draw a minor penalty for tripping, and the Sabres found themselves on the kill late with a one-goal lead. The Sabres penalty kill had a chance to make up for their recent struggles, but they came up short.
With 1:44 to go, Kreider found Mikael Granlund in the slot, and he slid it in under Lyon to tie the game at 5. Both teams were content to get the game to overtime and bank a point in the standings from there.
Terry scored the game winner 1:29 into the 3-on-3 overtime period, and snatched the game back from the Sabres. It was a disappointing end to an exciting comeback attempt, but taking home 7-of-8 points on the Western swing was a great result.
It was another game where the penalty kill struggled for Buffalo. It has been a real strength for the team this season, but with 4 power play goals against in their last two games it has slipped recently. They appear to be chasing the play a bit, getting themselves outside of structure which allows for much more dangerous passing lanes to open up.
Lyon also had his first real off game in a few months. His consistency this season has been unmatched. He has given the Sabres a chance to win nearly every game he’s appeared in. This one against the Ducks was a rare off-night where he really cost them. His anticipation that gets him so far ahead of plays seemed to be dragging, and it had a clear impact on his game. A true pro like Lyon will get back on the horse though, he will want to bounce back next time he's in the crease.
Game 5 - Bruins Defeat Sabres
The Sabres wrapped up this set of games with an ugly 4-3 overtime loss to the Boston Bruins.
Buffalo had a strong start with a great penalty kill after an early penalty from Dahlin, but that was about as well as they played for the rest of the game. Boston jumped out to a 1-0 lead when David Pastrnak wired one inside the post after a great pass from behind the goal line by Fraser Minten. The Sabres answered with a power play goal 15:18 into the opening frame. Thompson made a nifty small area play to get the puck to Zucker, who one-timed it in over the pad of Bruins goalie Joonas Korpisalo.
The Bruins scored the lone goal of a sloppy second period when Victor Arvidsson beat Ryan McLeod to a loose puck. Luukkonen made a good play to poke away a breakaway from Pastrnak, but couldn’t get to Arvidsson before he slid the puck under a falling Luukkonen and gave the Bruins a 2-1 lead heading into the third.
The Sabres scored a pair of goals just 33 seconds apart early in the third to flip the script. Benson struck first when he stripped Bruins defender Mason Lohrei of the puck to put himself in alone where he dismissed Korpisalo and tucked the game tying goal in. Lohrei appeared frustrated with his blunder and decided to blast Benson from behind after he scored and put the Sabres right onto the power play, where Zucker potted his second of the game on the man advantage to give the Sabres a 3-2 lead with 14:06 remaining.
Buffalo wasn’t able to sit on their lead though. Jonathan Aspirot let a point shot fly that sailed wide, but took a Boston bounce right out to former Sabre Casey Mittelstadt who put it into the empty net.
Once again a goal erased a Sabres lead in the late stages of the third period, and for the second game in a row the opposition did not let the Sabres off the hook. Just 38 seconds into the overtime period, Pavel Zacha beat Luukkonen through the 5-hole for an ugly game winner.
It was another disappointing result for Buffalo, as their late goal habit bit them once again. There have been questions about this team's ability to protect leads for much of the season, but for the majority of it they have been great at not letting games slip away. This is definitely not an area you want to see regression in, especially this close to the playoffs. Ruff will need to refocus his players and get them back to playing the solid team defense seen for much of the year.
To be fair to the team, it was the first game back following a Western road trip. It is extremely common for Eastern teams to struggle in their return from the long trip, and it looked evident the travel had caught up to the Sabres. Both their minds and bodies didn’t appear to be 100%, whether it be poor puck decisions, or an inability to win battles, the Sabres weren’t all there.
One of the few bright spots in the game was the return of defenseman Connor Timmins. Timmins had been out of the lineup since December 18th with a broken leg. His return would be a welcome addition as the Sabres penalty kill had taken a dip lately, and Timmins is the most trusted killer on the roster. He took Metsa’s spot and didn’t miss a beat, making effective puck decisions, defending well, and even finding a decent scoring opportunity.
The Sabres have nine legitimate NHL defenseman on their roster at this point, so it is a tough nut to crack, but Timmins’ penalty killing prowess may just be enough to keep him in the lineup.
Highlight Players
Zach Benson was seen on both the top line playing with Tage Thompson, and all the way down on the fourth line through this 5-game set. Despite his unstable environment, he found a way to score 2 goals and 3 assists in this set. Benson has had an up and down season and his play following the Olympic break hadn’t quite met expectations, but he really turned it around in this set and played some of his best hockey. He looks to be back on the horse and frustrating his opponents to no end, making tons of sneaky good plays, and playing solid defense in his own end. Benson is one of the most interesting young players to watch in the league, and his development will be something to watch for the next few years.
Rasmus Dahlin didn’t end on a great note with a bit of a stinker against the Bruins, but with 2 goals and 3 assists in these 5-games he was once again the lifeblood of the team. Dahlin continues to bring everything you could ask for from a #1 defenseman from physicality to point production. This will be an intriguing stretch to watch Dahlin as he ramps up for the first playoff run of his career.
Sabres Gain 8-out-of-10 Points
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 21: The Buffalo Sabres celebrate a goal against the Los Angeles Kings in the third period at Crypto.com Arena on March 21, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images
It was another set of games where the Sabres beat Lindy Ruff’s stated goal of 6-out-of-10 points, even with disappointing results in the final two games. This will be a set the Sabres will likely try to learn from considering that they have not looked quite as strong as we’ve come to expect in this set, save for the win in Los Angeles. Even in the Sharks and Golden Knight’s victories to start, the team relied heavily on their goaltending to keep them in the game until they could find their legs. This will not be a recipe for success heading into the playoffs, so Ruff is likely working to re-focus his team and get them back to their full potential.
