TORONTO – Two nights earlier in Montreal, Buffalo Sabres coach Lindy Ruff pointed out, defenseman Dennis Gilbert had walked right down the slot and missed the net.
If Gilbert, 29, got another opportunity with the puck, he would surely score, right?
“They say you give Dennis a second chance, and he’ll make the other team pay,” Ruff joked Thursday after Gilbert scored his first goal at any level in nearly three years.
Kidding aside, Gilbert’s fourth NHL goal buoyed the Sabres’ two-goal, third-period comeback in their 5-4 overtime victory against the Maple Leafs.
Gilbert found a lane and beat Maple Leafs goalie Sergei Bobrovsky from the point at 10:05, his first goal since Dec. 31, 2023 as a member of the Calgary Flames.
It was also the Buffalo native’s first shot on goal in his second appearance this season.
“I wouldn’t say it was my calling card or the expectation I was coming in with tonight,” Gilbert said of scoring his fourth NHL goal, “but just a lot of guys (were) making a lot of good plays in the offensive zone.”
Having lost defensemen Rasmus Dahlin (upper body) and Matt Grzelcyk (lower body) to injuries, the Sabres on Tuesday recalled the 6-foot-2, 216-pound Gilbert from the Rochester Americans. He made his NHL season debut that night.
While he usually skates short minutes – he has averaged 9 minutes, 19 seconds this season – he offers the Sabres grit and tenacity on the back end.
Ruff said Gilbert enjoyed a strong night “defending-wise and skating-wise” against the Maple Leafs.
In Tuesday’s 4-3 shootout loss, Ruff said Gilbert raced back and came within inches of breaking up the Canadiens’ two-on-zero break.
“That sums up how hard he wants to work and what he wants to try to do for our team,” he said. “I just thought he had a good night defensively and he got rewarded.”
With Dahlin out for Saturday’s game in Montreal, Gilbert will likely face the Canadiens again.
Dennis Gilbert gets on the board to make it 4-3
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— Buffalo Hockey Moments (@SabresPlays) October 16, 2026