Munich, Germany (WGR Sports Radio 550) - In a preseason exhibition tune up overseas, the Buffalo Sabres shined against one of the top professional teams in Germany, downing EHC Red Bull München by a 5-0 score at the brand new SAP Garden in Munich.
It took 7:46 for the Sabres to find the back of the net, but did so thanks to a very lucky bounce from distance.
One of Buffalo's newcomers, Sam Lafferty, as able to bank one in off the foot of a Red Bull defenseman as the winger was looking to make a pass to an open Rasmus Dahlin heading to the net. It was Lafferty's second goal of the preseason.
With less than five minutes remaining in the opening 20 minutes, the Sabres extended their lead to 2-0 thanks to a tip-in goal from center Tage Thompson.
A puck that squirted free to the point found defenseman Henri Jokiharju, who flipped a puck toward the Red Bull goal. Thompson was able to get a piece of the high shot, and while it appeared to be batted in with a high stick, the goal stood due to there being no video replay available.
Buffalo went on to outshoot Red Bull, 11-5, in the opening period, and came away with a 2-0 lead heading into the locker room.
Just past the halfway point of the second period, the Sabres swapped goaltenders with Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen being relieved by Devon Levi after turning away all eight shots faced in 31:52 of work.
While working on a power play approaching the later stages of the second period, the Sabres extended their lead to 3-0 thanks to a beautiful passing play.
Sabres center Dylan Cozens entered the Red Bull zone with speed before dropping the puck to defenseman Owen Power near the blue line. As Cozens continued his way to the net, Power fed the puck to winger Zach Benson, who then found Cozens right at the door step to direct in his third goal of the preseason.
Just under four minutes later, the Sabres made it a 4-0 contest thanks to winger Jack Quinn, who managed to convert off a blocked shot by Benson in the Red Bull zone. Quinn was able to chase down a loose puck in the neutral zone, use his speed to get in on a partial breakaway, and then use his body to protect the puck in order to bury his first goal of the preseason.
Buffalo continued to dominate in the shot totals, putting up 12 second period shots to Red Bull's seven, and lead 4-0 heading into the final 20 minutes of action.
In his return to his hometown, Sabres winger JJ Peterka was able to generate some excitement from the Munich crowd in attendance with his fourth goal of the preseason. Peterka found some open ice inside the Red Bull zone, and eventually got a nice feed from Thompson off a turnover, and then fired a shot past goalie Simon Wolf.
The Sabres continued to pepper Red Bull with shots in the third period, putting up 17 in the final frame, and finishing with a total of 40 shots on goal.
Meanwhile, Levi was able to cap off the combined shutout for the Sabres by turning away all nine shots he faced in 28:08 of ice-time.
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SCORING RECAP
First Period:
BUF: 7:46 - Sam Lafferty (2) (Nicolas Aube-Kubel); 15:14 - Tage Thompson (1) (Henri Jokiharju)
RBM: NONE
Second Period:
BUF: 13:41 - Dylan Cozens (3) PPG (Zach Benson, Owen Power); 17:29 - Jack Quinn (1) (Zach Benson)
RBM: NONE
Third Period:
BUF: 3:48 - JJ Peterka (4) (Tage Thompson)
RBM: NONE
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Three Stars of the Game:
1.) JJ Peterka - BUF
2.) Mathias Niederberger - RBM
3.) Tage Thompson - BUF
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What's next:
The Sabres’ NHL group will next head to Prague, Czechia to prepare to open the 2024-25 regular season with a pair of matchups with the New Jersey Devils on Friday, Oct. 4 and Saturday, Oct. 5 at O2 Arena.
Meanwhile, the Sabres' group of players likely bound for the Rochester Americans will head to Columbus on Saturday night for a matchup with the Blue Jackets at Nationwide Arena. Faceoff is slated for 7 p.m. ET on the radio home of the Sabres - WGR Sports Radio 550.