Postgame Report

Physical involvement, committed late-game defense and contributions from the depth of the roster.

For those reasons and more, the Buffalo Sabres were thrilled with their performance in Tuesday’s 3-2 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets at KeyBank Center.

“I thought it was just a good all-around effort tonight,” coach Lindy Ruff said of the Sabres’ fourth straight win, which secured their longest winning streak since January of 2023.

Lindy Ruff speaks to the media

Buffalo scored first for a league-leading 34th time this season. Halfway through the first period, Jason Zucker’s blocked shot attempt caromed into the slot for a wide-open Bowen Byram, who ripped one past goaltender Elvis Merzlikins for his sixth goal of the season. Byram later added an assist for his first multi-point game since Nov. 23.

The Blue Jackets tied the game 1-1 early in the middle frame. Kent Johnson, who'd created a snow shower when he hit the brakes in front of the net, beat Sabres goalie James Reimer top corner with a spinning backhand shot.

In the back half of the period, a pair of Alex Tuch goals – his 17th and 18th of the season – gave Buffalo a 3-1 lead. On the first, Dennis Gilbert’s slap pass from the point found Tuch’s tape in the slot for a perfect redirection. The second, another Tuch tip, got Rasmus Dahlin’s shot in behind Merzlikins.

Alex Tuch gives the Sabres a 2-1 lead

“We’ve got a bunch of guys that are real good at tipping pucks – [Tuch’s] definitely one of them,” said Gilbert, who’s raised his season point total to three with an assist in back-to-back games. “Had some time; just waiting for the big fella to swing through the middle and got lucky.”

Tuch led Sabres forwards with 22:15 of ice time and, having tallied a helper on Byram’s goal, enjoyed his second three-point night of the season.

“I thought (it was) one of his best games,” Ruff said. “On the puck, skated, competed hard. He gave us a great effort. Kind of double-shifted him here and there… It was a game that you noticed him almost every shift, whether it was defensively, offensively. Real solid game.”

Columbus halved Buffalo’s lead with 7:22 remaining in the third as Damon Severson’s back-door feed deflected off Ivan Provorov’s skate and in.

Exhibiting improvement in one of their most challenging phases of the game this season, the Sabres stood strong with Merzlikins pulled and Columbus attacking at 6-on-5. Last-minute shot blocks – one by Dahlin, two by Tuch – prevented the Blue Jackets, who registered just one shot on goal in the final four minutes, from tying the game.

“It’s just guys laying down, putting their body on the line and doing whatever it takes,” said Reimer. “So that’s a big reason for our success.

“When you see guys sacrificing their bodies and getting hurt, getting bruises and taking hits and making plays, it gets you fired up. It’s just fun to be part of that kind of environment.”

Ruff and the Sabres have addressed their 5-on-6 defense, pumping noise into practices and mimicking the intensity of an opponent’s late push. That work has paid off, as Tuesday’s last couple minutes demonstrated.

“I think when you have ‘trauma’ of blowing leads and losing games, it affects you – that’s okay, it’s human,” Gilbert said. “But our group’s been really good about being way more vocal in those situations and encouraging each other and finding small victories. Something as simple as blocking a shot and chipping the puck out, and the other winger grabs it and throws it in deep. We’re celebrating those types of things.”

Dennis Gilbert speaks to the media

Here's more from the win.

1. In a Monday meeting, the Sabres addressed their response to Stefan Noesen’s high hit on Tage Thompson in Sunday’s third period.

On Tuesday’s opening faceoff, Gilbert dropped the gloves with Mathieu Olivier, the NHL leader in major penalties. Gilbert didn’t elaborate postgame on his thought process leading up the tilt, but his teammates felt its impact.

“Obviously there’s been a lot of discussions going around the league, especially about us,” Tuch said, “and to have a guy like Dennis Gilbert, hometown kid who loves putting on that jersey every single night, going toe-to-toe at center ice with one of the toughest guys … just shows how much heart I think we have in this room. And I think he’s a big reason why we won that game tonight. He’s a hell of a teammate and a hell of a person.

“It was a message that he wanted to send: That what happened last game is not gonna happen again.”

Alex Tuch speaks to the media

2. Goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen was unavailable due to what Ruff described as a minor injury.

“Don’t expect anything too long – really day-to-day, I’m hopeful,” Ruff said.

In Luukkonen’s place, Reimer made his seventh start with Buffalo this season – third since the beginning of January – and made 27 saves on 29 shots.

“Calm, cool, collected – that’s James Reimer to a T right there,” Tuch said. “It was awesome. When they were putting pressure on, at times, I thought he was really good. He was seeing the play really well. I thought we did a good job trying to keep guys out of his line of sight and everything, but I thought he was phenomenal tonight.”

Natural Stat Trick credits Reimer with seven high-danger saves, his most in a game this season. He owns a .918 save percentage – 89 saves on 97 shots – over his last three games.

“Every time he’s gone in the net for us, he’s given us more than a chance to win,” Gilbert added. “Did it again tonight.”

James Reimer speaks to the media

3. In addition to Luukkonen, the Sabres were also without Thompson, Tyson Kozak and Mattias Samuelsson.

Thompson exited after Sunday’s hit and is day-to-day, Ruff said Tuesday morning. Kozak missed a second straight game due to illness and could be available for Saturday’s game in Nashville. Samuelsson was sidelined by a lower-body injury.

The forwards’ absences prompted Buffalo to recall the red-hot Isak Rosen from Rochester. Rosen played his ninth career NHL game and first since Nov. 23, skating with JJ Peterka and longtime AHL linemate Jiri Kulich. He recorded one shot on goal in 11:46, including 45 seconds with the Sabres’ second power play unit.

4. Forward Beck Malenstyn didn’t take a shift after the midway point of the second period.

“He’s had back spasms and just couldn’t move,” Ruff said.

Go inside the room following the win!

Up next

The Sabres hit the road for a Saturday night rematch with the Nashville Predators – their final game before the February break.

Coverage on MSG begins at 7:30 p.m. with puck drop scheduled for 8.