BUFFALO, N.Y. — Tage Thompson, a forward for the Buffalo Sabres, expressed satisfaction with how the team has bounced back from losses this season. The next hurdle for the franchise, which is enduring an NHL-record playoff drought spanning 13 seasons, is learning to navigate the waters of success after experiencing a recent winning streak.
Although Buffalo’s current three-game winning streak—capped off with a 3-2 shootout victory against the Calgary Flames on Saturday—is modest, it presents the team with a chance to achieve four consecutive wins for the first time in nearly two years, as they prepare to host the Montreal Canadiens on Monday.
“It instills some confidence,” Thompson remarked, highlighting the validation of their hard work. He acknowledged that previous setbacks stemmed from straying from their foundational processes.
“It’s tempting to play individualistically when things aren’t going your way, and I’ve been guilty of that too,” he noted. “We’ve learned the hard way that committing to playing cohesively, even when things aren’t ideal or not going your way, is essential.”
The matchup against Calgary showcased this lesson, particularly after the Sabres gave up a 2-0 advantage, allowing Mikael Backlund to force overtime with less than five minutes remaining in regulation. They held their ground during the closing moments of overtime, fending off a too-many-men penalty. JJ Peterka ultimately clinched the victory in the shootout, with Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen stopping all three Flames’ attempts.
“It wasn’t our best performance, but we found a way to win,” Thompson commented.
The current three-game streak marks the Sabres’ second such occurrence this season, equaling their total from last year. The last time they achieved four consecutive victories was during a five-game stretch between January 19 and January 26, 2023.
Despite maintaining a record of 7-7-1 after 15 games—mirroring last year’s performance under coach Don Granato—Buffalo has shown promising signs of increased competitiveness since welcoming back coach Lindy Ruff, who took over in April.
One notable improvement is their ability to avoid slow starts. Last season, Buffalo ranked tied for 27th in the league for falling behind early, allowing the opening goal 46 times. This year, they have only trailed 1-0 in four instances, tying for second-best in that category. Additionally, the team’s goal-scoring has surged, entering the weekend tied for eighth in the NHL with 49 goals, a significant leap from their 23rd place finish last season.
Special teams have also started making a positive impact. After struggling initially, failing to convert on their first 22 power-play opportunities, the Sabres have improved to seven successful conversions out of 23 attempts in their past seven games. Furthermore, they have successfully killed off ten consecutive opponent power plays and have not allowed a man-advantage goal in their last six victories.
Ruff has introduced a culture of accountability, a quality many players felt was missing during Granato’s tenure. Following a three-game losing streak, the current winning run began after Ruff made significant lineup adjustments, including benching defensemen Mattias Samuelsson and Henri Jokiharju, as well as fourth-line forward Nicolas Aube-Kubel.
“I’ve been trying to be patient while figuring out the right fit for everyone,” said Ruff, emphasizing that a certain standard must be upheld. “I appreciate how the group has performed, but we will need contributions from all players moving forward.”
For Ruff and the Sabres, the immediate focus is on maintaining their recent form.
“Every team tends to find portions of the schedule where they gain momentum. We’ve put together two solid performances, and we want to extend that,” said Ruff during his pregame address Saturday.
His message remained consistent after the game: “When you start to roll, you want to keep that momentum going.”