BUFFALO – Some of the snapshots from the Sabres’ 13th win in their last 14 games, Saturday’s 5-3 victory over the reeling Anaheim Ducks, illustrate a confident team whose infectious energy runs up and down the lineup.
To wit: in the second period, winger Josh Doan’s dogged backcheck as Ducks center Tim Washe tried to exit his zone created the Sabres’ second goal.
“That’s part of the game I take a lot of pride in is getting back and forcing turnovers,” said Doan, who fought Ryan Strome late in the game. “… A lot of our group has taken pride in the last couple of games is hunting back and creating offense off turnovers.”
Not only did Doan pursue the rookie and strip him, he quickly grabbed the puck and dished to linemate Peyton Krebs, who adroitly fed center Tage Thompson at the net 7:22 into the second period.
“Pure effort,” Sabres coach Lindy Ruff said of Doan’s tenacious pursuit. “Just on the puck, relentless to take it away. Just an awesome job to get (it).”
Doan steals the puck to deny Anaheim leaving the zone and Krebs finds Thompson to make it, 2-0 #LetsGoBuffalo #Sabrehood #FlyTogether pic.twitter.com/6Oh5EDQAlT
— Buffalo Hockey Moments (@SabresPlays) January 11, 2026
As the Sabres killed a penalty later in the period, three players – defenseman Jacob Bryson and wingers Beck Malenstyn and Alex Tuch – sold out and blocked four of their 22 shots against the Ducks, their fourth-highest total this season.
“It’s not just this game,” said Sabres goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, who made 31 saves. “I feel like how our forwards and D-men block shots, I feel like some nights they have more saves than I do. It’s just great to see, I think that’s a big part of why we’re winning, everybody’s buying into it. It doesn’t matter if they’re (a) first-liner or fourth-liner, everybody’s blocking shots.”
Ruff said when you’re winning games and getting rewarded – the Sabres have won 13 out of 14 contests for the first time in their 56-year history – laying out in front of a shot “becomes very contagious.”
“The next man wants to do it,” he said. “Whether you’re selling out for your PK unit or you’re selling out for your goaltender, you’re selling out ultimately to help win the game.”
In winning their third straight contest following the end of their 10-game winning streak, the Sabres (52 points) moved into the Eastern Conference’s first wild card spot.
Fans have reveled in the Sabres’ success over the last month, turning KeyBank Center, often one of the NHL’s quietest rinks over the Sabres’ 14-year playoffs drought, into one of the noisiest.
On Saturday, the start of a five-game home stand, the capacity crowd of 19,070 fans buzzed from the get-go. When Sabres winger Jack Quinn opened the scoring at the 2:03 mark, ending a nine-game goal drought, fans roared like the goal secured a win.
“You start the game, and you could feel the atmosphere,” Ruff said. “And I think that alone helped us start the game. You get that quick goal, and you could here the building right away. I think players kind of rewarded the fans for the energy they put in the building.”
The Sabres appeared to be cruising to an easy win against the Ducks, who lost their ninth straight game (0-8-1).
Defenseman Bowen Byram scored 7:09 into the third period, putting the Sabres up 3-0. Byram’s 10th goal in just his 43rd outing tied his career high.
After Olen Zellweger spoiled Luukkonen’s shutout bid at 15:16, Quinn’s second goal at 16:00 restored the Sabres’ three-goal lead.
Then Leo Carlsson and Mason McTavish scored at 18:02 and 19:12, respectively, to move the Ducks within 4-3.
Center Josh Norris’ empty-net goal sealed the victory.
“Definitely want to clean up the end of games, especially for Upie,” Quinn said.
Ruff said the Sabres experienced “a little bit of a mental letdown.”
“We weren’t good enough,” he said. “We let our goalie down. That is not up to par for our club. Our club can’t accept that. We’re a better club than that. We played well to that point. What we did in that last five minutes isn’t good enough.”
But talking out some big mistakes and sloppy play after another win is a heck of a lot better than doing it after a loss.
“That’s the good part of this, and knowing that our standard is a lot higher than this,” Ruff said. “If we’re going to accept that standard, not good enough.”
