The Devils were the details Wednesday night in KeyBank Center. The final score was 4-3 against a New Jersey team that was struggling badly but got some key players off the Covid-19 list and outshot the Sabres 42-22.
There was a lot of spotty play in this one, and we probably shouldn't have been all that surprised. Take 11 days off, remove five regulars out of your lineup due to Covid-19, add a quartet that has never played for the team – including two making their NHL debuts – and things are going to be uneven.
So, this was one of those nights you should remember the bigger picture. You've read in this space multiple times that this is essentially a bridge season until the likes of Owen Power, Peyton Krebs, Jack Quinn and JJ Peterka are regulars here come October.
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But as for Wednesday, when you saw the Buffalo debut of Krebs and Alex Tuch, it felt like the first day you could actually step away from the Jack Eichel era. You weren't waiting on draft picks. You saw real live capital acquired for the captain.
One thing the Sabres are doing in short order is building legitimate organizational depth. They took regulars like Jeff Skinner, Dylan Cozens and Zemgus Girgensons out of their lineup and had plenty of options to replace them. That wasn't the case when Kevyn Adams took over for Jason Botterill 18 months ago.
It's been a fascinating last couple of days here. The fans were ready for this one.
Warmups prior to the game had them encircling the glass in the Sabres' zone. You see that all the time in many places, but it's been a ghost town here most games this season.
One kid put a sign against the glass that read, "Welcome Home Tuck #89. Me vs. You. Rock Paper Scissors" and was adorned with a stick and puck drawing. Tuch skated over and obliged.
"I think we played best of five. He wanted my stick, but I really liked my stick," a smiling Tuch said after the game. "I was going to try to get him one, but it was a little too tough. I think I ended up breaking that stick anyways. Hopefully I see him down the road and I'm able to get him another one, but he ended up getting a puck and I think he beat me 3-2 so it was good."
The crowd of 11,511 was small by NHL standards, of course, but things are different in Buffalo this season. That was a season-high for the Sabres. Yes, it was holiday time, but people were in tune with what was going on in this game, as well. There was a good buzz in the building, especially around Tage Thompson's two goals in the second period and after defenseman Ethan Prow's first NHL tally got the Sabres back within one and gave them a chance to tie the game late.
There were big cheers for Tuch and Peterka when they were announced in the starting lineup. More cheers for Tuch following a Welcome-to-Buffalo video that the team put together that he acknowledged during a TV timeout, and for his first assist.
"It was really nice seeing a lot of support," Tuch said. "The fans came out and they gave us a lot of energy and they were really excited. We came up short, but I thought they were buzzing in the arena tonight and it was a lot of fun to be a part of."
Talking to these guys the last couple of days, there have been a lot of striking conversations about the big picture here.
There was the maturity of Krebs, wise beyond his years at 20, talking about how he's going to be his own player and not worry about being a key trade piece for Eichel.
Moreover, Krebs talked about how he's had several conversations with Adams and has been building relationships with other key prospects in Rochester – because he said these players have a chance to be together here into their 30s.
Reminds you of Ryan Miller & Co. in Rochester in 2004-05, doesn't it?
"It's obviously trending in the right direction. I think everyone in the room feels that," said Thompson, who has 12 goals and might be the team's All-Star Game rep this season. "I think it's a fun atmosphere to be a part of. I think everyone in there believes in each other and believes in what we see for ourselves in the future in terms of a team and organization. I think everyone wants to be a part of that."
There was the unrelenting smile of JJ Peterka, whose Rochester grocery run with roommate Linus Weissbach was interrupted by the news of his first NHL callup from Amerks coach Seth Appert. The kid Adams traded up for to get at the start of Round 2 of the 2020 draft has an incredible pair of hands.
The Sabres’ second selection in the 2020 draft evolved from a defensive liability into a remarkable two-way talent, and his rare skill set, most notably elite skating with hands to match, have him positioned to make Buffalo’s roster out of camp.
Still, we know development is not going to be a straight line. Krebs was minus-2 in the game and didn't have a shot on goal, while Peterka had just one and overhandled the puck at times. Neither is NHL-ready yet, and that's OK. Give them that first taste in Buffalo now while the lineup is thin.
The Devils came into the game on a six-game losing streak, but got several players back in their lineup, including P.K. Subban, and had the better of the play most of the night. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen battled to make 38 saves in goal for the Sabres, but needed to do a better job with rebound control.
Unless Covid-19 gets in the way, the Sabres have a tough couple of days ahead, with games Thursday on Long Island in the new UBS Arena and Saturday in Boston, where the Bruins will be returning to the ice for the first time in two weeks. More chances to straighten the learning curve.
Reminder: Long-term views are necessary this season. The players want to win every night, but they feel where this is going. There might be frustration now, but a lot of hope lies ahead. This rebuild is actually different. Talent is being stockpiled. Finally.
