The Buffalo Sabres have been trying to find consistency all season, and they’re finally starting to get on a roll. The Arizona Coyotes, who had recently defeated the last five Stanley Cup champions in consecutive games, came into Buffalo as losers of two straight. They appear to be stumbling back to earth after an incredible run against top-tier opponents. The Sabres dominated this game at even strength from start to finish. The Eric Robinson, Kyle Okposo, and Peyton Krebs line set the tone with an early goal and never looked back in what was a fantastic 5-2 win. Here are my main takeaways from this contest for the Sabres.
Eric Robinson Injects New Life Into the Bottom-6
The sample size may be small, but the early returns on Robinson, the Sabres’s newest acquisition, look strong. Krebs and Okposo had played over 140 minutes at 5v5 together this season before Robinson arrived. With the Krebs-Okposo duo on the ice, the Sabres mustered just 43% of the expected goals, 43% of the scoring chances, and 42% of the high-danger chances. Robinson’s arrival has completely turned things around for them so far. With the Robinson-Okposo-Krebs line on the ice, Buffalo has 69% of the expected goals, 65% of the scoring chances, and 69% of the high-danger chances.
Robinson’s relentlessness in the corners and willingness to go to the net has dramatically benefited the bottom-six. His three-point night was critical to the Sabres’ victory, setting the tone with several dominant shifts in the first period and not letting up all game long. It’s still early, but head coach Don Granato may have something with this line. I expect them to stay together for a while.
Devon Levi Stays Hot
Devon Levi got off to a rocky start this season. In his first nine games, he had a .887 save percentage (SV%), a 3.73 goals-against average (GAA), and a minus-3.85 goals saved above expected (GSAx). He was sent down to the American Hockey League (AHL) for just two games before being recalled. Since his NHL return, Levi has been a brick wall between the pipes, posting a .942 SV%, 1.62 GAA, and 2.05 GSAx in three starts.
Related: Sabres’ Center Dylan Cozens Snakebitten Once Again
In the first 40 minutes of this game, he made two huge saves sliding side-to-side, first off a redirect from Nick Schmaltz and then on a rebound chance from Lawson Crouse. Levi closed the game by stoning Jason Zucker on a breakaway and shutting down what could have been a momentum changer in the third period. Overall, it was another fantastic evening for the young goaltender, who is threatening to snag hold of the starting job once again.
Dylan Cozens is Getting Chances But Still Slumping
Dylan Cozens had a positive impact in this game, but he couldn’t bury one, extending his goal scoring drought to 10 games. There were several notable chances for him to get on the board. He hit the post on an excellent feed from Casey Mittelstadt in the first period and was stopped on a breakaway by Karel Vejmelka in the third.
Aside from Robinson and Okposo, who were dominant in this game, Cozens had the most expected goals at 5v5. He and Robinson each had a game-high five shots on goal. He is undoubtedly frustrated about another goose egg on the scoresheet, but Cozens is starting to play his game, and if he continues to work hard, it’s only a matter of time before he starts to produce again.
Rob Ray is Still Tough as Nails
Sabres’ color commentator Rob Ray took a puck to the face late in the third period when it was deflected between the benches, where he provides ice-level commentary. Ray was a tough customer during his playing days, racking up 3,200 penalty minutes during his 16-year NHL career. After being struck with the puck, he got cleaned up by the Sabres training staff and returned to the game. By the looks of it, he might have needed stitches after the game, but that didn’t stop him from finishing his job. I’m sure it brought back memories for a guy who was no stranger to getting a few cuts and bruises.
Up Next For the Sabres
After putting together three consecutive impressive 60-minute efforts, the Sabres will try to keep the momentum rolling during a three-game road trip. It starts with a tough matchup against the Colorado Avalanche on Dec. 13. Buffalo swept the season series against the Avalanche last season, but Colorado had won the previous eight meetings before that. After the game in Denver, the Sabres will head to Las Vegas to take on the defending Stanley Cup champion Vegas Golden Knights. Finally, they end the trip in Arizona, where they will take on the Coyotes once again.
