Game 9: Streaking

The Sabres' 5-3 win against the Detroit Red Wings was their third in a row, something that was a large issue a season ago.

BUFFALO — Everything was aligned for the Buffalo Sabres to put things together, figure out some of their own issues, and earn their first three-game winning streak of the season.

The Sabres were adorned in the red and black “Goathead” jerseys for an afternoon game against the Detroit Red Wings who rolled into the city with the NHL’s second-worst penalty killing unit entering the game and with Alex Lyon in goal who they chased from a start at KeyBank Center a year ago.

It wasn’t exactly the kind of game you’d want to show off proudly to friends, but it was a 5-3 Sabres win in which they finally scored on the power play (with Jason Zucker doing the honors) and got superstar performances from both Tage Thompson (two goals and an assist) and Rasmus Dahlin (three assists).

Wins are good, period, but wins against a division rival who haunted them a year ago, particularly late in the season when the lingering hope of the playoffs was still there. Division wins don’t count for more points than other wins, but they do matter a whole hell of a lot more when the standings figure to be tight.

“These are important games,” Thompson said. “We knew that heading in and we’ve been, towards the end of the season last couple years where it comes down to a point, and these ones in the beginning of the season add up. It’s a big game for us. We came out with some good intensity and desperation.”

More on the Sabres going streaking ahead.