Savoie playing Saginaw in the Memorial Cup semi-final
The hard-fought Eastern Conference Final could come to a conclusion on Saturday as the Florida Panthers took the critical Game 5 3-2 over the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden on Thursday and have a chance to close out the best-of-seven series at home on Saturday night.
The Panthers have won two straight by the same score to take a stranglehold on the series, with former Sabre Sam Reinhart scoring an overtime power play goal in Game 4 on Tuesday. Anton Lundell snapped a 1-1 tie midway through the third period and Sam Bennett’s empty-netter late in regulation was the eventual game-winner. Reinhart and the four other ex-Buffalo players (Brandon Montour, Evan Rodrigues, Dmitry Kulikov, and Kyle Okposo) did not factor in the scoring.
Another former Sabre facing an important Game 5 on Friday, as Evander Kane and the Edmonton Oilers play in Dallas with the Western Conference Final tied 2-2. Kane played just 13:56 in the Oilers 5-2 win over the Stars on Wednesday.
At the 2024 Memorial Cup, Sabres 2022 top pick Matthew Savoie and the Moose Jaw Warriors have an opportunity to advance to the Memorial Cup Final on Sunday as they take on the host Saginaw Spirit on Friday. The Warriors opened the tournament last Friday with a 5-4 loss to Saginaw but advanced to the semi-final with a 5-3 win over the Drummondville Voltigeurs on Tuesday.
Savoie has four points (1 goal, 3 assists) in three games. The 20-year-old suffered an injury just prior to training camp last September, which robbed him of the opportunity to make the Sabres last season, but his experience with Wenatchee and Moose Jaw, in a brief stint with AHL Rochester and one game in Buffalo could help Savoie impress new head coach Lindy Ruff at training camp.
“There’s nothing that really fazes him,” Moose Jaw head coach Mark O’Leary said on Thursday. “You can see his experience that he’s had, whether it’s playing pro games or certainly his time in our league, he’s played in a lot of big games. He’s confident in his ability, I think he brings a calmness and a confidence to our group and that’s important, certainly in a moment right now going into a semifinal game.”
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