BUFFALO – The outcome of Wednesday’s regular-season finale, a 4-3 shootout loss to the Dallas Stars, is irrelevant.
The Sabres, having clinched the Atlantic Division and locked into a first-round series against the Boston Bruins in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, scratched five of their best players and dressed 11 forwards and seven defensemen.
Tyson Kozak, a fourth-line center or spare forward, pivoted the Sabres’ top line. Coach Lindy Ruff used three defensemen on the second power-play unit.
Captain Rasmus Dahlin, top center Tage Thompson, defenseman Mattias Samuelsson and forwards Ryan McLeod and Jason Zucker all sat out to avoid injury.
Game 82 offered the Sabres a chance to rest some talent and reset. Still, they took the Stars to the wire, earning their 109th point, the fifth-highest total in franchise history, before Wyatt Johnston scored in the fourth round of the shootout.
Now, the Sabres will practice two or three times – a schedule for their first-round series hasn’t been announced – before the Bruins visit this weekend.
“I can speak for everyone in this room, we’re amped up, we’re fired up,” said Sabres winger Zach Benson, who scored a short-handed breakaway goal in the second period. “Yeah, I think we’re all just looking forward to Game 1 here.”
What can you take away from Wednesday’s loss before a capacity crowd of 19,070 fans in KeyBank Center?
Well, center Josh Norris continued his hot streak, extending his point streak to six games (three goals and seven points).
Benson created Norris’ goal in the first period, skating down the middle into the Dallas zone before backhanding the puck to his linemate on the left wing.
Norris wired the puck by goalie Jake Oettinger in the left circle, giving him nine points in the last eight contests.
He also had a prime opportunity in overtime.
“I think that’s a real positive,” said Ruff, whose Sabres led 2-1 and 3-2. “Great goal. He could’ve scored the one in overtime, if that almost got through to him, just a little bit higher, I think it goes in.
“We know he has to be a big part of it. And the fact that he scored here the last few games it’s got to have him feel good. It makes me feel good.”
Benson, meanwhile, extended his career-long point streak to five games (three goals and seven points).
“I thought he had the puck on a string there tonight a lot of times,” Ruff said. “His stick-handling and puck possession was real good.”
In the postseason, with goals almost certainly at a premium, secondary scoring from the likes of Benson and Norris will be critical.
“I thought Benson had a real good game tonight,” Ruff said. “He was all over the place, and with us, dressing 11 forwards, (we) double-shifted him a little bit.”
Winger Alex Tuch scored the Sabres’ other goal, his 33rd this season and 200th of his career. Colten Ellis made 25 saves.
Norris and winger Jack Quinn scored the Sabres’ shootout goals.
Mavrik Bourque, Esa Lindell and Justin Hryckowian scored for the Stars in regulation.
Having a finale with no impact on the standings gave Ruff and his staff an opportunity to prepare the Sabres for the postseason a day early.
“We started today, everything is about preparing, taking care of yourself, eating, sleeping, everything,” Ruff said. “Doing all the little extra stuff from treatments and coming to the rink, getting everything you need. We have every tool for those guys to use to be ready to play Game 1.
“We don’t know when game one is yet, but we’re going to prepare like it’s Saturday.”
