PITTSBURGH – Thirty-eight seconds into Thursday’s second period, as Buffalo Sabres captain Rasmus Dahlin and Evgeni Malkin began battling at the net and cross-checking each other, the Penguins star slashed his opponent on the neck.
Malkin’s ill-advised decision ended his night – he earned a match penalty and could have a suspension coming – and ignited the Sabres in a game that was tied at 1.
“After that we got it going pretty good,” coach Lindy Ruff said following the Sabres’ fifth consecutive win, a 5-1 shellacking of the Penguins in PPG Paints Arena
When center Josh Norris scored at 4:10 on the ensuing five-minute power-play – the Penguins lost their goalie interference challenge – the Sabres seized full control.
By the 10:30 mark of the second period, after winger Alex Tuch tipped in a shot short-handed and defenseman Owen Power scored, the Sabres led 4-1 and cruised to their 26th win in their last 33 outings.
While it might be hard to believe, their victory coupled with the Tampa Bay Lightning’s 4-1 loss to the Winnipeg Jets pushed the Sabres into a first-place tie with the Lightning in the Atlantic Division.
Each team has registered 80 points. Tampa Bay, however, has played two fewer games.
Incredibly, the Sabres have earned one more point in 62 games this season than they did all of last year.
“We’re a confident group right now, just taking it one day at a time, enjoying the ride,” said Sabres center Ryan McLeod, whose short-handed goal opened the scoring. “Not trying to get too high or too low, but definitely enjoying it.
Right now, players are having an absolute blast.
“The most fun I’ve ever had playing hockey,” Norris said. “We get to listen to music on the plane after, always makes it a little bit better going home after a win. It’s hard to describe, really. It’s such a fun group and authentic and just guys being themselves, really. You can’t really ask for much more. It’s been a lot of fun.”
So, will the Sabres add assets before today’s 3 p.m. trade deadline? Or might they mostly stand pat and simply make a minor move or two?
A case can be made for both.
They’re clearly one of the NHL’s best and deepest teams. Why mess with a good thing? Of course, it probably wouldn’t hurt to load up for what they hope will be a long playoff run.
Following Thursday’s game, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported the Sabres plan to trade for veteran center Sam Carrick, who has spent the last two seasons with the New York Rangers.
Carrick, 34, would be the Sabres’ oldest player and likely slot in on the fourth line.
His acquisition would address perhaps their biggest need, giving them a stud in the faceoff dot. He has won 53.9 percent of his draws this season and 52 percent over his career.
Center Tyson Kozak, the Sabres’ top faceoff man, has won 49.3 percent of his draws this season.
The 6-foot, 202-pound Carrick has compiled 38 goals, 83 points, 427 penalty minutes and a minus-38 rating in 380 career NHL games with the Rangers, Toronto Maple Leafs, Anaheim Ducks and Edmonton Oilers.
Update: The Sabres are also completing a trade with the Winnipeg Jets that would send defensemen Luke Schenn and Logan Stanley to Buffalo, according to Victory+’s Frank Seravalli.
Perhaps Sabres general manager Jarmo Kekalainen has a bigger move up his sleeve after St. Louis Blues defenseman Colton Parayko refused to waive his no-trade clause and join Buffalo, according to multiple reports.
Why does Dahlin think players should come to the Sabres?
“Because we’re a good team,” he said. “We’re winning right now, and we’re playing fun hockey. And Buffalo is a hell of a city. I love it, and all the guys in the locker room love to be here.”
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McLeod beat Penguins goalie Arturs Silovs on a breakaway 12:00 into the game, utilizing a nifty move to score his NHL-best fifth short-handed goal this season.
Bryan Rust’s short-handed goal tied the game at 1 later in the period.
The teams combined to score three short-handed goals Thursday, the most in the league this season.
Notes: Dahlin on Malkin’s slash: “Emotions out there. Stuff happens.” … Sabres goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen made 27 saves. … Sabres defenseman Mattias Samuelsson scored an empty-net goal.
