After dropping the first couple of games this season to the Washington Capitals, the Buffalo Sabres were able to find their offensive footing on Monday, blitzing the Philadelphia Flyers for a 6-1 victory at Wells Fargo Center.
Let's take a look at three observations from the Sabres' first win of the 2020-21 season:
1.) Sam Reinhart's line move pays off
Sabres head coach Ralph Krueger juggled some lines just before the third period of Friday night's game against the Capitals and found a combination he liked with forwards Sam Reinhart, Jack Eichel and Taylor Hall.
Reinhart continued that success he formed with them on Monday night, scoring two goals in the second period of Buffalo's romping of the Flyers. Reinhart also provided a good screen on Victor Olofsson's power play goal in the third period.
2.) Jeff Skinner continues to impress
Once again, Skinner was a noticeable offensive force who continued to contribute chances for the Sabres, resulting in a couple of goals for his line-mate, Curtis Lazar. While he didn't find the score sheet, Skinner managed a 66.6% shot attempts for percentage while he was on the ice.
3.) Power play returns after absence
The Sabres were coming off a game in which they couldn't score with the man advantage, going 0-for-5 against the Capitals. However, the Sabres got back in the groove of things with conversions from both Reinhart and Olofsson on the power play. Buffalo went 2-of-4 on the man advantage, and brought themselves up to 3-for-12 on the season.
---------
The Sabres and the Flyers will take the night to regroup before they meet again on Tuesday night at Wells Fargo Center. Faceoff on Tuesday is set for 7 p.m. EST and can be heard on the Radio Home of the Sabres - WGR Sports Radio 550.
Also be sure to check back for more observations after each game this season available at WGR550.com.
