Doan flashes power-play ability with goal and assist in loss to Detroit

DETROIT – Josh Doan spent this past summer watching film of the game’s premier net-front scorers, taking note of the habits that make them successful.

At 23 years old, Doan has already established himself as a hard-working, defensively reliable NHL forward. Tage Thompson, Doan’s offseason training partner and teammate at the IIHF World Championship, described him as a player who “will do whatever it takes to win.”

Thompson also sees untapped offensive potential in his new Buffalo Sabres teammate, having seen Doan’s skill during summer skates together in Arizona. Doan flashed that promise on Saturday, notching a goal and an assist on the power play in Buffalo’s 5-2 preseason loss to the Detroit Red Wings.

“Good net-front,” Sabres coach Lindy Ruff said. “He made some good decisions.”

Stationed in front of the Detroit net, Doan drifted beside the goaltender to receive a pass from Jack Quinn and one-touched a pass across to Noah Ostlund, setting the rookie up for a one-timer goal during the first period.

In the second period, Doan dashed toward a loose puck in the offensive zone and lunged forward with his stick outstretched, poking the puck toward Quinn for a one-timer from the left circle. The goalie made the save, but Doan crashed the net and scored the rebound.

“We’ve had a lot of focus on winning 50-50 pucks on the power play,” Doan said. “You look at how many opportunities are created off of loose pucks and turnovers off the D on the power play, and it’s capitalizing quick.”

The importance of getting the puck to the net quickly was one of Doan’s primary takeaways as he studied successful power plays this offseason, having gotten a taste of the man advantage during his first full season with Utah. He averaged 1:24 in power-play ice time and finished the season with 19 points at all strengths, a number he’s intent on building upon.

“At the end of the day you’ve got to get it on the net,” he said. “You look at how many squeak through or opportunities are created just by getting it back to the goalie. That was my main focal point this summer. And then getting to loose pucks, reading rebounds, trying to figure out where the next puck and battle is going to be and getting there for your wall guys.”

Doan has had the benefit of a consistent running mate through the first week of training camp, having lined up alongside Quinn at even strength and on the power play. (Jiri Kulich, their center throughout camp, was scratched Thursday due to a muscle tweak.)

It’s helped as he’s continued to get used to a new on-ice structure and a new off-ice environment, both of which Doan has embraced head-on. Ruff lauded Doan’s energy and passion for the game.

“Obviously it’s different when you come from a different team and everything’s completely different, so trying to find reads and the gray areas and kind of just working through that a little bit,” Doan said.

“But I think as the games have gone on I’ve felt a little bit more comfortable and playing with Quinny, he’s been a huge help with that. I think just day by day keep asking questions and watching video and finding a way in.”

Here’s more from Tuesday’s game in Detroit.

A learning experience

The Sabres sent a prospect-heavy roster to Detroit, partially as a reward for how those players played through the team’s two wins to open the preseason.

They faced a Red Wings group icing many of its NHL regulars, including Dylan Larkin and Lucas Raymond at forward and Moritz Seider on defense. The result, Ruff said, was a learning experience for Buffalo’s young players.

“I think it just tells you that when it comes to compete, NHL compete, it’s hard,” Ruff said. “You win your battles, you get the edge in the game. I thought we lost too many battles.”

Buffalo was outshot 40-17, but Doan came away impressed with the fight he saw from the team’s younger players late.

“I think we did a good job of playing until the end,” Doan said. “Obviously, it’s not a fun one losing like that, but I thought the young guys showed some compete, some heart late in the game.”

Georgiev gets a full game

Alexandar Georgiev became the first Sabres goaltender to play a full game this preseason, finishing the night with 35 saves on 40 shots faced. Georgiev, Alex Lyon and Devon Levi had each played two periods in the victories over Columbus.

Georgiev’s night included some highlight-reel saves – including an outstretched pad to rob Mason Appleton – along with some odd bounces that wound up in the net.

The Red Wings first goal came off a turnover behind the net, setting up a point-blank one-timer for Appleton. Their fifth goal, scored by Seider, was flipped from behind the net and banked in off the leg of a Sabres defender.

“I thought he made some big saves, but there was a couple goals that went in that you don’t see on a nightly basis,” Ruff said.

Georgiev has totaled 51 saves on 56 shots this preseason, a .911 save percentage.

A solid night for Mrtka

Radim Mrtka, Buffalo’s first-overall pick this past summer, skated 17:57 in his second preseason game and registered five hits. He was not on the ice for a goal against.

“Real good compete,” Ruff said. “I thought physically he was good. He was another guy we wanted to take another look at and I thought he handled the game pretty well.”

Up next

The Sabres host the Red Wings at KeyBank Center on Saturday at 3 p.m. Tickets are available here.

The game will be streamed live on Sabres.com.