BUFFALO – Hours before the Sabres ended their three-game losing streak Tuesday by shellacking the Ottawa Senators 5-1, coach Lindy Ruff demanded more of his goalies, saying his team needed bigger saves at critical times.
Ruff wasn’t pinning the Sabres’ recent struggles on Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen and Devon Levi. In the same breath, said he needed his scorers to finish. He has been asking more of everyone as he tries to raise the Sabres’ standard.
But clearly, a key stop here or there could’ve changed the complexion of some games and perhaps buoyed the Sabres to more wins.
“He hasn’t told us that, but I think that’s pretty obvious,” Luukkonen said of Ruff’s words after making 37 saves against the Senators. “That’s kind of our job.”
Luukkonen knew he had to be a difference-maker, and with the Sabres up 1-0 late in the first period, his dynamic stop changed the complexion of the game.
After Sabres center Tage Thompson turned the puck over in his own zone, Luukkonen used his blocker to stymie Noah Gregor’s shot in close on a two-on-zero break.
“Probably the save of the game,” Ruff said. “That probably gets them back in it at a critical time. Big mistake on our part but our goaltender helped us out. And I think that’s the type of save you need that can ignite your team.”
It certainly boosted the Sabres. Defenseman Bowen Byram scored 17 seconds into the second period, giving the Sabres a cushion. Ridley Greig moved Ottawa within 2-1 later in the period, but the Sabres pulled away in the third, getting another goal from Byram just 21 seconds in.
Thompson scored at the 37-second mark to essentially seal the game in the first minute. The goals marked the second-fastest from the start of a period in franchise history.
Ruff wanted more from his goalie and scorers, and they delivered throughout the chippy affair before the crowd of 12,260 fans in KeyBank Center.
Winger JJ Peterka opened and closed the scoring with power-play goals and added an assist. Thompson, captain Rasmus Dahlin and center Ryan McLeod each recorded two points.
Thompson pumped a career-high 11 shots on goals, one shy of the franchise record.
“That was a perfect response,” Thompson said of Ruff’s demand the Sabres raise their standard. “That’s what you want to see. That’s kind of a textbook game on what we want to play. I think the last couple games we slowed it down a little bit too much maybe, more so just in Detroit (on Saturday).
“But we played fast tonight, we played quick, and we stayed above them on their breakouts and I think it frustrated them.”
If players don’t raise their standard, Ruff will scratch them. They wanted more accountability, and he has provided it.
On Tuesday, Ruff benched defensemen Henri Jokiharju and Mattias Samuelsson, two regulars. Samuelsson is an alternate captain.
“I want those two guys to raise their standard of play,” Ruff said. “I need their standard to be a lot higher.”
Ruff said he has exercised more patience than ever this season “trying to figure these guys out.”
“But there’s a standard you have to play to and the standard, it hasn’t been good enough,” he said. “And other guys have sat. I met with both players today and discussed what is acceptable and what will work if you’re in the lineup. If you’re not, I thought the guys that have stepped in have done a good job.”
Connor Clifton, a healthy scratch Saturday, and Dennis Gilbert replaced them.
“I thought (Jacob Bryson) and Cliffy, Gibby, they did unreal tonight,” Thompson said. “They were great on the back end, moving pucks quick, closing guys out, physical. They played solid. I think that’s what you need. Whether you’re in the lineup or not, you need to be ready to play, and they were.
“That’s the accountability you want to see. I think when you see it on the other side, too, it’s nice to see them step in and be ready. It shows that they’ve been putting in the work behind the scenes that not a lot of people get to see.”
Dahlin’s first assist was his 300th NHL point. He’s the third defenseman to register 300 or more points with the Sabres, joining Phil Housley and Doug Bodger.
