Sabres have something to build on with 'dangerous' 1st line coming together

CHICAGO -- Lindy Ruff was asked about another player on the roster during a pregame interview when the Buffalo Sabres coach shifted the conversation.

“I thought with (forward JJ) Peterka back in, that top line’s starting to look like a dangerous line,” Ruff said of left wing Peterka, who returned Oct. 16 against the Pittsburgh Penguins after missing the two previous games with a concussion, center Tage Thompson and right wing Alex Tuch.

Perhaps it was a sign of things to come, since that line figured prominently in the Sabres’ 4-2 win against the Chicago Blackhawks at United Center on Saturday.

It was Thompson starting things off for the Sabres in the first period. It was Peterka scoring what proved to be the game-winning goal late in the second.

As the Sabres (2-4-1) look for more consistency in this early part of the season, their top line is starting to show the way.

“We’re definitely building some momentum, some chemistry,” said Thompson, who had a goal and an assist against Chicago.

Thompson has six points (four goals, two assists) in seven games, tied for second on the Sabres with Peterka (four goals, two assists in five games) and behind Tuch with seven points (two goals, five assists) in seven games.

“At the end of last season, we finished pretty strong as a line and I think having [Peterka] out of the lineup, he’s obviously a big part of our team and produces a lot of offense for us,” Thompson said. “For us, when he’s in the lineup and he’s moving his feet, he’s a lot for the other team to handle. He’s got a lot of speed and a lot of good skill. For me and 'Tuchy', it’s just trying to find him. I think we work well together, so it’s been fun.”

There was a lot of fun to be had for Buffalo on Saturday. Outside of the second period, when Blackhawks forward Craig Smith scored twice to erase the 2-0 lead the Sabres built in the first period, they felt they played a strong game.

“I thought we backed off a little bit,” Ruff said. “We talked about it after the second goal, just get back on our toes again, try to create some zone time, create some pressure, get pucks in behind them. They were doing a good job through the neutral zone of forcing dump-ins. But once we got it below the goal line, I thought we created some good opportunities.”

Peterka’s fourth goal of the season with 1:23 remaining in the second period restored the Sabres’ confidence and gave them a 3-2 lead. Peterka has five points (four goals, one assist) in three games since returning from the concussion.

“I wanted to come back when I’m fully healthy to help the team as good as I can and I think the coach puts me in really good spots, too,” Peterka said. “I just try to do my best out there.”

The Sabres entered this season looking to end their 13-year Stanley Cup Playoffs drought. They got off to a tough start, losing their two season-opening games to the New Jersey Devils in the 2024 NHL Global Series Czechia presented by Fastenal earlier this month. They also sustained a few injuries, including Peterka, who missed the next two games after suffering the concussion against the Devils on Oct. 5.

There is still plenty of work ahead for them. They went 0-for-4 on the power play against the Blackhawks and still do not have a goal this season on the advantage (0-for-21). Granted, Ruff said he was happy with how their power play looked.

“They’ll start going in, but it looked a lot better,” he said. “We showed a lot more composure. We opened up some people, which is good to see.”

The Sabres finished their four-game road trip 2-1-1. Their top line looked good. They kept Blackhawks center Connor Bedard, the No. 1 pick in the 2023 NHL Draft and the 2024 Calder Trophy winner voted as NHL rookie of the year, off the score sheet. As they head back to Buffalo for a four-game homestand, the Sabres certainly want to build on the positives.

“I think that’s the story of the whole start of the season for us. You can say all kinds of stuff about it, but I feel there have been better games than the results show. But in the end, it’s not an excuse that will get you very far,” said goaltender Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, who made 35 saves against Chicago.

“We need to be better. We have given ourselves kind of spots to win the games and we have to be better at closing those out. I think we did a good job with it today.”