@BuffaloSabres have won ten games in a row! They are in sole possession of 1st place in the NHl and 1st place in the Eastern Confrence standings #WorstToFirst #Sabres #CardiacKids #WeWantGilbertPerreault pic.twitter.com/E9SkND6zRw
— SabresBuzz (@SabresBuzz) November 28, 2018
I am a man of many, many words. However, I'm running out of adjectives and superlatives to use to describe the 2018-19 Buffalo Sabres.
"Scary" is the best word I can use to describe Phil Housley's team right now. They find ways to win. They are never out of a game. No opponent lead is safe againt them.
This team never surrenders.
They don't gove up They don't care if the chips are down and the outlook doesn't look favorable. They just keep on fighting. These Buffalo Sabres never surrender.
On a snowy night in Buffalo, the Sabres extended their current winning streak to 10 games with a dramatic overtime win over ex-teammate Evander Kane and the San Jose Sharks after blowing a 2-0 third period lead.
No worries.
Carter Hutton made 36 pressure-packed saves to give his team a chance to force overtime where the Sabres won the game after getting the only three shots on goal of the extra session.
This 10-game winning streak is reminding me of the iconic 2005-06 Sabres season when a bunch of upstart prospects like Ryan Miller, Martin Biron, Thomas Vanek, Jason Pominvile, Derek Roy, Maxim Afinogenov, Brian Campbell, Henrik Tallinder, Ales Kotalik and a few veteran leaders-- Chris Drury, Danny Briere, Mike Grier, Teppo Numminen-- crushed their competition and played in the Eastern Conference Finals. That cast of heroes also advanced to the ECF in 2006-07.
This vintage of Buffalo Sabres hockey has me feeling very nostalgic for the Sabres glory years of 2005-06 and 2006-07.
The crowd noise inside teh barn on game nights is dare I say louder now than it was back in 2005-06. The fans are jacked up out of control from having to suffer through the tanking and finishing at the bottom of the NHl standings the past five seasons.
I’ve been on the #Sabres beat for 15 seasons. The last time I felt the sonic boom of crowd noise in the building like I’ve heard the past few weeks was 2005-06. These guys are good. Scary good.
— SabresBuzz (@SabresBuzz) November 28, 2018
Like the mythical phoenix, the Sabres have risen from the flames.
Did you know that nine of the wins in the Sabres' current 10-game winning streak have been by a one-goal margin?
The Cardiac Kids keep finding ways to win games in dramatic fashion. There is never a dull moment during a Buffalo Sabres game this season.
Only one other team in NHL history has posted as many one-goal victories as part of a winning streak of 10+ GP: PIT won 9 one-goal contests during a 15-game run from Mar. 2-30, 2013.
The win over the Sharks takes on historical significance for the Sabres.
With their 10th win in a row, the Sabres have now equaled their franchise record for consecutive wins in a season. The record was originally set in January 1984 and it was tied in October 2006.
In addition to the three official 10-game winning streaks, the Sabres have twice won at least 10 consecutive regular-season games during streaks that spanned two seasons: 15 games (April 8 to Oct. 26, 2006) and 11 games (April 1 to October 26, 1975).
The Sabres now have points in 10 straight games for the first time since they recorded points in 11 straight from December 26 to January 18, 2010 (8-0-3).
Buffalo has won six straight home games for the first time since November 28 to December 15, 2014.
Eichel and Company are now 10-0-2 in one-goal games so far this season. Buffalo last won more than half of its one-goal games in a season in 2011-12 (21-9-11). The team’s current .833 winning percentage in one-goal games would top the franchise record of .714 (10-4-0) set in the 1977-78 season.
Rasmus Dahlin was the first overall pick of the Sabres in 2018. hall of Famer Gilbert Perreault was also a first overall draft choice of the Sabres five decades ago. What number did Gilbert Perreault wear in Buffalo?
ELEVEN!
We Want 11! #GilbertPerreault @BuffaloSabres #10InARow #WorstTtoFirst #FirstOverall pic.twitter.com/msoKkJ7vB3
— SabresBuzz (@SabresBuzz) November 28, 2018
Buffalo's winning streak tied the longest in its history; the Sabres also won 10 straight from January 4-23, 1984, and October 4-26, 2006.
My friends, these are better days!
These are better days @jeremyhoyle @googoodolls @BuffaloSabres #Sabres #WeWant11 #GilbertPerreault
— SabresBuzz (@SabresBuzz) November 28, 2018
Rasmus Ristolainen and Nathan Beaulieu scored, and Carter Hutton made 36 saves for the Sabres (17-6-2).
Joe Pavelski scored both San Jose goals in the thrid period to make this game a nail biter.
Rasmus Ristolainen got the Sabres on the board first when he posterized Norris Trophy winning defenseman Brent Burns with a disgusting pull and drag move. Ristolainen now has five points (1G,4A) in his last five games.
Brent Burns got danced. His jock is still on fire.
Ristolainen's celly was epic and drew rave reviews from Buffalo Bills defensive back Tre White.
Ristolainen told me he didn’t plan his celly “I don’t score that much….
— SabresBuzz (@SabresBuzz) November 28, 2018
On the crowd noise Risto said: “The building is loud. It is so great to have loud fans…
The Sabres made it 2-0 when Nathan Beaulieu scored his second goal of the season on a zesty sauce across from Samson Reinhart. Reinhart has scored 2 goals and 9 assists in his last 12 games, including four two-point games during that stretch. The Sabres are now 12-0-0 this season when Reinhart records at least one point and 26-2-3 (.895) in his career when he records at least two.
Mr. Clutch, Jeff Skinner ended the game in dramatic fashion when he beat Martin Jones at 1:41 of OT to give the Sabres their 10th straight win. Skinner once again snatched victory from the jaws of defeat. How does he do it? How do his teammates do it? I'll let you know when I find out!
The goal was Skinner's 19th goal in 25 games and his 18th goal in his past 18 games. Skinneer is now tied with patrik Laine for teh NHl lead in goals scored. Somebody call the fire department to extinguish the flames on Jeff Skinner's stick and skates. Skinner is now on pace to score 65 goals this season. 65 goals is the second-highest goals scored total in the 49 year history of the Sabres, trailing only Alexander Mogilny (76) in 1992-93.
If you want to know why the Sabres drafted defenseman Rasmus Dahlin first overall at the 2018 NHL Draft, just watch the play below. Dahlin told me in the Buffalo room after the game he knew to pass himself the puck, behind hi sback and the puck round Norris Trophy winner Erik Karlsson in order to feed Skinner for his OT GWG.
Are you fu**ing kidding me right now?!
I just spoke with Dahlin about this Pablo Picasso pass to set up Skinner. He told me it’s a planned play. I told him he and Harry Potter are the only to wizards in the world who can make that pass. “Harry Potter? Really?… #Sabresâ â https://t.co/KYga7pCoQI
— SabresBuzz (@SabresBuzz) November 28, 2018
I just talked @rasmusdahlin00 about the behind the back pass, around Karlsson on Skinner OT GWG. He said he planned it that way.
— SabresBuzz (@SabresBuzz) November 28, 2018
I told him he and Harry Potter are the only two guys to make that play. “Harry Potter? Really?… Yes, the dude with the magic twig!
#Sabres pic.twitter.com/Q31Y9C6L7t
— SabresBuzz (@SabresBuzz) November 28, 2018
Nice Don Edwards pillows, bro #WorstToFirst #Sabres #WeWantGilbertPerreault 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9.10... WE WANT 11!!! https://t.co/XVQttA9yB8
— SabresBuzz (@SabresBuzz) November 28, 2018