The Buffalo Sabres have won their first game since Feb. 23.
Over the last 18 games, the Sabres simply could not find a way to win in regulation, overtime or in a shootout. In Game 19, Buffalo found a way and never took their foot off the gas in a 6-1 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers.
Let's take a look at three observations from Wednesday night's win:
1.) Sabres get first regulation win in March since 2018
Yes, you read that right. It has been exactly three years since the Sabres have had a regulation win in March.
March 31, 2021 is slightly different than March 31, 2018, as the season will continue into April and still into the first couple weeks of May, as well. Back in 2018, Phil Housley was the head coach and Chad Johnson was in goal. Things are different now.
The Sabres also only played half of March in 2020, so maybe it's not fair to hold this entirely against them, but not having a win in regulation in the month of March for three full calendar years is pretty jarring.
2.) Sabres don't let up the pressure
The Sabres, once again, were off to a hot start, heading into the first intermission holding a 2-0 lead.
In the second period, the Flyers increased their pressure a little bit, halving the Sabres' lead on a shot ripped from the point by defenseman Ivan Provorov. That shot hit Sabres defensman Brandon Montour and went straight in on Linus Ullmark, but it was the only goal the Sabres goaltender allowed all night.
After that Flyers goal, the Sabres re-took their two-goal lead with Steven Fogarty's first NHL goal. Fogarty also assisted on Casey Mittelstadt's goal 5:57 later to give the Sabres a three-goal lead at 4-1, chasing Flyers starting netminder Brian Elliott.
For the second-straight night, Buffalo took a three-goal lead into the third period. This time, they held on, and even added to it late with a couple shorthanded goals from Brandon Montour to extend their lead to 6-1.
Montour scored an empty-net goal first before following up 37 seconds later with another goal with Flyers goalie Alex Lyon in the net.
3.) Ullmark giving the Sabres stability in net
The Sabres sure must be glad Ullmark is back between the pipes.
Ullmark returned this past Saturday for the Sabres in a game against the Boston Bruins, and he hasn't relinquished the net since. In the three games since his return, Ullmark is 1-1-1 with a .923 save percentage.
At this point of the season, the Sabres have nothing left to play for. While they're not mathematically eliminated from the playoffs, there really is no path from them to get enough points to make the postseason, even if they won all of their games moving forward.
Still, Ullmark's presence must give them confidence. They've played much closer games with him in net, and it seems that they're comfortable with letting their goaltender bail them out with big saves when they need him to.
The veteran netminder is in the final year of his contract with the Sabres and will become an unrestricted free agent upon the expiration of his contract. It will be interesting to see if the Sabres make an effort to retain Ullmark, or if he wants to sign a contract with Buffalo following this season.
While the Sabres have prospects Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen in Rochester and Erik Portillo at Michigan University, they don't have anyone who is NHL caliber at the position after this year.
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The Sabres will be right back at it Thursday evening at KeyBank Center, this time to face the visiting New York Rangers.
We'll bring you the Paul William Beltz Pregame Show hosted by Schopp and the Bulldog starting at 6 p.m. ET. They'll talk to Paul Hamilton, as well as bring you interviews from the locker room and interim head coach Don Granato, leading you up to puck drop, scheduled for just after 7 p.m. ET. You can hear all the play-by-play action on the radio flagship station of the Sabres - WGR Sports Radio 550.