Hunting NHL opportunities, Georgiev and Dunne spark Sabres in Columbus

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Less than two weeks ago, Alexandar Georgiev was still looking for a job. The 29-year-old goaltender, a veteran of 303 NHL games, remained an unrestricted free agent after splitting a challenging 2024-25 season between Colorado and San Jose.

With Sabres starter Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen dealing with a lower-body injury to begin training camp, a door cracked open in Buffalo.

“It was a long offseason, for sure, but I was waiting for an opportunity to open up in the best spot,” said Georgiev, who signed a one-year contract Sept. 11. “The Sabres had an opportunity here, so I’m very excited to be with the group.”

Monday at Nationwide Arena, Georgiev stopped all 16 shots he faced in two periods as the Sabres earned a 4-0 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Buffalo was outshot 8-4 in the first period of the preseason opener, but strong goaltending afforded the visitors – deploying a mix of NHL regulars and Rochester Americans – time to find their footing and build a lead.

“I thought he gave us a couple really good saves, until we kind of got grounded in that first period,” said coach Lindy Ruff. “And I think that’s what you need your goaltender to do. You’re not always going to win every period; you’re going to give up some stuff, and if your goaltender can keep you in there, it gives you a chance to win hockey games.”

Two second-period goals followed the scoreless first, and over the final 40 minutes, the Sabres held a 31-14 advantage in shots on goal. As scheduled, Devon Levi relieved Georgiev for a six-save third period.

“I thought we took the game over,” Ruff said.

Georgiev has done a lot of winning in his career – 151 total victories, including league-leading totals in 2022-23 (40) and 2023-24 (38) – and intends to do more. He’s hungry to re-establish himself as one of the NHL’s top netminders, and this preseason marks his first step on that quest.

“Obviously (want to) get back to where I’m one of the better goalies in the league,” he said. “Played a lot of games, got to an All-Star (Game); I feel like this is my level, and I want to get back to that – and be a big part of getting to the playoffs here.”

The Sabres had already expressed confidence in their goalie group of Luukkonen and Alex Lyon in Buffalo, plus Levi continuing to develop in Rochester. That said, a back-in-form Georgiev would force some tough roster decisions with the regular season right around the corner.

“He’s just got to use this platform,” said Ruff, an assistant coach with the Rangers when Georgiev broke into the league there. “I think it’s an opportunity for him to say, ‘I can be a goaltender that can really help you guys out.’ Every opportunity that he gets is a statement that he’s gonna make to us.”

Here are some more takeaways from Buffalo’s 4-0 win.

Byram and Mrtka

Early in the second period, Bowen Byram gave Buffalo a 1-0 lead with a wrister from up high. The defenseman with seven goals and 31 assists last season boasts the shot – and general offensive skills – to again be a major offensive contributor after re-signing as a restricted free agent this summer.

In this game, Byram, the fourth-overall pick in 2019, partnered with 2025 ninth-overall pick Radim Mrtka. Experiencing his first NHL game action, the 18-year-old Mrtka notched an assist on Byram’s goal and also got involved physically in a late-game scrum.

“He’s a good player, man,” said Byram, who didn’t detect any nerves from his new (and temporary) partner. “He can skate, he’s a big body, he can shoot the puck, sees the ice well. So, it was fun playing with him. He’s going to be a really good player.”

Dunne drops the gloves

The exhibition needed a jolt of energy late in the first period. Sabres forward and former Blue Jacket Joshua Dunne helped provide it. Right off an offensive-zone faceoff, he and Columbus’ Max McCue dropped the gloves.

The 6-foot-4 Dunne and 6-foot-1 McCue each got a few punches in before wrestling each other to the ice. This wasn’t Dunne’s first blue-and-gold bout, as he fought Florida’s A.J. Greer back in March – one of his two games with Buffalo in 2024-25.

“He did a heck of a job … the guys were fired up,” Ruff said. “The game in Florida when he got in the altercation, same thing. I think he’s a guy that will try to do anything to make an impression on a team.”

Dunne and his linemates, Tyson Kozak and Mason Geertsen, congested the middle of the ice and provided the net-front screen on Byram’s goal, and Ruff credited them with creating some great scoring chances of their own later that period. With Dunne, Kozak and Geertsen on the ice at 5-on-5, the Sabres held a 16-10 edge in shot attempts and 9-3 in shots on goal, per Natural Stat Trick.

Everyone getting involved

While Dunne’s line had its fingerprints all over Byram’s goal, Buffalo’s other forward groupings chipped in offensively, too. Beck Malenstyn extended the lead to 2-0, Jack Quinn tallied an empty netter and Konsta Helenius capped off the win with a last-minute goal.

Danforth at the dot

As a team, Buffalo won a modest 47 percent of its faceoffs Monday. Offseason signing Justin Danforth, however, was excellent at the dot in his unofficial Sabres debut as he won nine of 12 draws.

The four-year NHL veteran, who owns a 49.7-percent success rate in his career, is expected to be a key bottom-six forward for Ruff and the Sabres in 2025-26.

“He’s a very versatile guy that can play the wing, can take the faceoffs on the right side – I think he won every D-zone faceoff that we put him out there for,” Ruff said. “And just a heady player, does the right thing at the right time.”

Danforth skated on a line with Malenstyn and Peyton Krebs, a trio that could see a lot of ice together in the regular season.

Up next

The Sabres and Blue Jackets are right back at it Tuesday night at Keybank Center. Tickets are available here.

Puck drop is scheduled for 7 p.m., with the game streaming right here on Sabres.com.

How to watch all 2025 preseason games.