Storylines
1. Where were we?
The Sabres were playing some of their best hockey of the season before the two-week hiatus, winning four of their last five games. Before losing Feb. 8 at Nashville, Buffalo scored 18 goals in a perfect, 4-0-0 homestand.
Tage Thompson and JJ Peterka lead the team with four goals apiece in the last five games. Alex Tuch has heated up with back-to-back three-point games and eight points (3+5) in the last four.
Rasmus Dahlin has seven assists in five games and 22 since Dec. 23 – tied with Nikita Kucherov for second most in the NHL during that span. His defensive partner Bowen Byram has found a scoring touch as well, totaling five points (2+3) in the last three contests.
As a result, the Sabres are tied for second in the NHL with 4.40 goals scored per game since Jan. 28. Combine that with a modest 26.8 shots on goal against per game, and it’s no mystery why Buffalo earned eight of a possible 10 points heading into the break.
2. 4 Nations, 4 Sabres
Each of the Sabres’ 4 Nations Face-Off representatives returned to Buffalo for one or more team practices this week.
Dahlin averaged 17:46 of ice time in three games, scored a goal and, as the youngest defensemen in Sweden’s room, impressed teammates with his all-around performance.
Finland’s Henri Jokiharju also scored a goal and averaged 17:14 of ice time across three games, while Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, the third goalie, didn’t dress for any of the round robin contests.
And Thompson was summoned to Boston ahead of Thursday’s championship game as a potential injury replacement. He watched Canada’s overtime victory from the press box, though, as the United States didn’t fall below 18 healthy skaters to open a roster spot.
Ruff feels the tournament experience will greatly benefit Buffalo's participants.
"They get to see some of the best in the world – how they prepare, the work they do, the off-ice – and I think it'll make all those guys better players," he said. "And they lend that to their teammates, and it should make the teammates better."
3. Scouting the Rangers
The Sabres have had mixed results versus New York this season, with a 6-1 win Nov. 7 at Madison Square Garden and a 3-2 loss Dec. 11 on home ice. In the loss, Buffalo finally broke through with a pair of late, third-period goals, but Adam Fox’s empty netter secured a Rangers victory.
Goalie Igor Shesterkin owns a 2.87 goals-against average and .906 save percentage this season, but he’s lost four of his last five games with an .835 save percentage.
Artemi Panarin leads the team with 57 points (23+34). Fox ranks second on the Rangers with 44 points and fifth among NHL defensemen with 40 assists.
Forward J.T. Miller, acquired Jan. 31 from Vancouver, has two goals and two assists in his second stint with the club. Neither he, Fox, nor forward Vincent Trocheck recorded a point in four games for Team USA at 4 Nations.
