'No one's going to back down' | Sabres set tone early in win over Senators

Jordan Greenway closed in on Tim Stutzle, lowered his left shoulder and sent the Ottawa Senators’ leading scorer to the KeyBank Center ice.

With that, the tone had been set for a game that meant plenty for the Buffalo Sabres – a chance to take points from a division rival, end a three-game winless streak, and make good on an intent to raise their personal standard after an inconsistent start to the season.

“We were emotionally involved in the game tonight right from the start,” coach Lindy Ruff said.

Greenway’s hit on Stutzle lured Ottawa captain Brady Tkachuk into a fight and, with that, a two-minute minor for unsportsmanlike conduct. JJ Peterka scored on the ensuing power play to put the Sabres on the board less than six minutes into the game, placing them on the path to what would end as a 5-1 victory.

Bowen Byram scored goals during the opening minutes of both the second and third periods to cushion the Sabres' lead. Peterka added a second power-play goal and an assist while Tage Thompson had a career-high 11 shots – the most unorthodox of which produced his eighth goal of the season (more on that later).

Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen matched his season high with 37 saves, including a timely first-period stop that robbed the Senators on their best chance to erase a 1-0 deficit.

It was, Thompson said, a complete team game.

“It’s a big game and obviously we knew we needed that one,” he said. “That was a big one for us and both sides (showed) a lot of desperation tonight. I thought, after losing the last three, that’s a huge response from us. And I thought right from the start of the game to the finish, that was a great, collective win.”

• Next home game: Saturday afternoon vs. Calgary

The Sabres were coming off a 2-1 loss in Detroit on Saturday, a game they controlled for the most part at 5-on-5 but lost on the basis of special teams. Ruff’s message on Monday was to not be satisfied with the positive elements of that game but to instead recognize the need for an elevated standard of consistency.

Facing an Ottawa team that entered Tuesday atop the NHL in hits per game, the Sabres were the aggressors early. Dylan Cozens laid an open-ice hit on Nick Cousins and shoved with Tkachuk in front of the Buffalo net. Beck Malenstyn sent Tyler Kleven loudly into the boards. All of this occurred before Greenway’s game-changing hit on Stutzle at 5:59 of the first period.

The physicality ratcheted up again late in the game when hometown defenseman Dennis Gilbert, in the lineup for the second time this season, dropped the gloves in an attempt to fight Tkachuk.

“I think it’s very important,” Byram said of the Sabres’ physicality. “They have some big, strong, tough dudes over there. But I think we got a competitive team and no one’s going to back down.”

The win required mental resolve, too. It started with Luukkonen, whose blocker save on Noah Gregor’s attempt on a 2-on-0 rush prevented the Senators from tying the game during the first period. Luukkonen finished the night with saves on six of the seven high-danger shots he faced.

“Probably the save of the game,” Ruff said of the stop on Gregor. “That probably gets them back in it at a critical time. Big mistake on our part but our goaltender helped us out. And I think that’s the type of save you need that can ignite your team.”

Ryan McLeod forced a turnover and lofted a pass from the left half wall through the offensive zone to set up Byram’s one-timer during the opening minute of the second period, cushion that proved valuable after Ridly Greig scored to bring the Senators back within one ahead of intermission.

The Sabres pounced once again to open the third period, first with Byram’s goal on a point shot through traffic and then, just 16 seconds later, with Thompson’s goal, an Alex Tuch shot that deflected in off Thompson’s shoulder as he laid in the crease following an odd-man rush.

“I think Tuchy was nice enough to pass it off my shoulder while I was laying on the ice,” Thompson said. “So, I owe him a dinner or something. Very unselfish of him.”

It was also an element – a “dirty” goal near the net – that the Sabres aim to make a staple of their identity, one of many that were on display Tuesday.

“Our penalty killing did a great job, our power play got us a couple, our goaltender made big saves,” Ruff said. “We had blocked shots. Again, all the things you’re gonna need to win a game. Some of the small plays that you don’t see – cutting hands off, getting in the way, slowing people down so our D can make better breakout passes.

“All the small stuff that makes a big deal by the end of the night. I thought we got everything.”

Here’s more from the win over the Senators.

1. Zach Benson returned to the lineup after missing the last five games with a lower-body injury. Jiri Kulich was loaned to Rochester prior to the game to make room for Benson on the 23-man roster.

Benson skated 10:14 and had two hits.

2. Ruff made changes to the lineup on defense with Gilbert and Connor Clifton stepping in for Mattias Samuelsson and Henri Jokiharju. Jacob Bryson was elevated to the second pair alongside Owen Power after making his season debut on Saturday.

The Sabres coach spoke postgame about the decision to scratch Samuelsson and Jokiharju, who had both appeared in every game this season.

“I want those two guys to raise their standard of play,” he said. “I need their standard to be a lot higher.

He added: “I think we’ve discussed what is necessary to win hockey games. I’ve probably been more patient than I’ve ever been, just trying to figure these guys out. But there’s a standard you have to play to, and the standard, it hasn’t been good enough. And other guys have sat. I met with both players today and discussed what is acceptable and what will work if you’re in the lineup.”

3. Rasmus Dahlin tallied a pair of assists, the first of which was the 300th of his career. Phil Housley (558) and Mike Ramsey (329) are the only other defensemen to score 300 career points in a Sabres uniform.

Dahlin is tied for third among defensemen in Sabres history in both goals (67, with Jerry Korab) and assists (234, with Alexei Zhitnik).

Up next

The Sabres visit the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden on Thursday. Coverage on MSG begins at 6:30 p.m. with puck drop scheduled for 7.