HAMILTON, Ontario – This was a week we watched the Buffalo Sabres grow up before our eyes.
It started with just one goal over two games in dreary losses to Los Angeles and Florida. Same old going-nowhere Sabres, right? But the first change was how disappointed everyone around the club felt, given those two games immediately followed wins over Toronto and Minnesota.
When Jack Eichel’s return to Buffalo was the talk of the hockey world Thursday, the Sabres sent their former captain home with a 3-1 loss. And when a Toronto-friendly crowd packed the Canadian Football League stadium, the Sabres proved that progress is taking place in two areas that are needed to change the franchise’s fortunes: toughness and poise late in games.
Expectations had been rising and were suddenly pushed down. But practice resumed Wednesday and work continued. There's deeper resolve from this team than in the past. Even from earlier in the season. And it showed.
The Sabres beat Vegas in the Jack Eichel return circus Thursday, and Sunday in Tim Horton's Field, they absolutely punked Canada's team for the second time in 12 days.
On a day filled with snow flurries and wind, in front of more than 26,000 fans and in a tie game after 40 minutes, the Sabres made all the plays. Then they added the exclamation points. It was a 5-2 win over the in-crisis Maple Leafs, a Heritage Classic triumph that will live for all-time as the first outdoor victory in franchise history.
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But it should tell you a lot more about what's building here.
As time goes on, you might remember the two goals apiece from Peyton Krebs and Vinnie Hinostroza. Folks in Toronto will certainly remember Hinostroza's game-winner from the goal line past embattled Petr Mrazek, which might force Leafs GM Kyle Dubas into a desperation trade for a goalie if he has any hope of surviving in the playoffs.
But the real moments we'll remember? Rasmus Dahlin going at it in front of the net with Auston Matthews and absorbing a vicious cross-check that will earn the NHL's leading goal scorer an audience with NHL Player Safety.
That was followed three minutes later by Dylan Cozens drilling Matthews at center ice and taking on the challenge of Michael Bunting and all comers as Tage Thompson and friends joined in.
After the game, Dahlin said he was fine and only wanted to talk about what Cozens did. He called his team "brothers in the locker room." He said the players cared for each other and all wanted to win together.
Anyone ever say that when Eichel and Sam Reinhart and Evander Kane and others were in the Buffalo locker room and me-first ruled over team-first?
Dahlin: “You can really see we’re brothers in the locker room. We care about each other. We have something really good going on. Everyone wants to win together and it’s fun to be a part of for sure.” #Sabres pic.twitter.com/budM2gRam8
— Mike Harrington (@ByMHarrington) March 13, 2022
Cozens got a 10-minute misconduct, but he wasn't going anywhere. He stayed on the runway leading to the rink, even chatting with owner Terry Pegula, so he could join the postgame celebration.
"We really know we have good people and competitive people," coach Don Granato said. "When you watch our group compete the way they've competed the last couple of games and get the reward for the work, it's nice on the coaching side, and for our organization for all we talk about."
This is a team that jovially walked into the stadium en masse in Flint Tropics basketball uniforms, a la Will Ferrell in the 2008 comedy "Semi-Pro." They left it with one of their most valuable wins in years.
Jack Campbell and Petr Mrazek have been a mess in the crease recently for the Maple Leafs, giving Buffalo's offense an opportunity Sunday.
An aside here to GM Kevyn Adams: Under no circumstances should you trade goalie Craig Anderson to the Leafs. Doesn't matter what they're offering. Simply out of principle, the GM of the Buffalo Sabres should never ever ever ever solve the most pressing problem of the Leafs. If that sounds petty, so be it.
Seeing those television shots of Dubas and Toronto president Brendan Shanahan glumly standing in their suite as the time ticked away should have Adams high-fiving anyone he can get a hand on.
The injuries to Anderson and, to a lesser extent, the speedy and intriguing Hinostroza really derailed the Buffalo season. This group isn't a playoff team yet, but the loss of the 40-year-old in goal, as well his locker room influence, really mattered.
During so many of those down moments in November and December, Anderson could have helped this team persevere. But he was fighting the battle with the neck injury he suffered Nov. 2 in San Jose, and the Sabres didn't get nearly enough saves while he was gone.
It's easy to say Anderson's absence cost this team 8-10 points, and the Sabres could be quite a few spots higher in the standings.
"The difference between winning and losing is such a fine line that there’s such a mental battle that you have to stay within yourself and really stay focused," said Anderson, who observed the Sabres have struggled to stay in the moment and not let previous adversity bother them in games.
"You get too far ahead of yourself and you start worrying about the play you just had, whether it was good or bad, nothing good can come from that. We’re starting to learn that and we’re starting to grow in those areas."
You see the belief growing all around. Dahlin has looked the part of an All-Star for three months. This is no small sample size. It's easy to forget about Eichel, given the contributions of Krebs and Alex Tuch. Look at the impact Granato has had on Thompson, Jeff Skinner and Kyle Okposo, among others.
Mattias Samuelsson played 21 minutes Sunday, posted a plus-2 rating, had a game-high six hits and blocked three shots. The young defense core of Dahlin, Henri Jokiharju, Samuelsson, Casey Fitzgerald and Jacob Bryson is a month or less from adding Owen Power to the lineup.
The organization still drives you crazy at times. Its arena desperately needs work. The play-by-play of the radio broadcast Sunday was handled remotely from Buffalo, which is just an embarrassment that should stop. The playoff drought is going to hit 11 years soon. And I could spend all day answering emails and tweets from fans griping about Delaware North's concession quality and exorbitant pricing.
But on the hockey end of things, they're making inroads. Finally.
"That game was won by the team that stuck together and wanted to win," Granato aptly said in his postgame locker room address that the team tweeted out. "It's a credit to you guys sticking together as brothers."
Post-win with Donny.This team will always stick together. 💙💛#LetsGoBuffalo pic.twitter.com/pT3Wa9fI2O
— Buffalo Sabres (@BuffaloSabres) March 14, 2022
