Sabres Lose To Devils At Prospects Challenge

The Buffalo Sabres followed up a victory in the opener of the 2024 Prospects Challenge over Columbus on Friday with a 5-2 loss to the New Jersey Devils at the LECOM Harborcenter on Saturday. Tyler Tullio, who was acquired in July from Edmonton in the Ryan McLeod-Matthew Savoie deal, and Jiri Kulich scored for Buffalo, but the Sabres were frequently stymied by New Jersey goalie Isaac Poulter, who made 33 saves in the win.

The Sabres dressed nearly the same lineup that played against the Blue Jackets, except for forward Riley Fiddler-Schultz subbing in for Ty Cheveldayoff on the fourth line and 2024 seventh-rounder Ryerson Leenders starting instead of Scott Ratzlaff. Leenders faced only 12 shots, as the pair of Devils goals late in the third came when he was pulled for the extra attacker.

One concern for Buffalo going into the tournament’s finale on Monday against Pittsburgh is the health of their blueline. 2024 draftee Simon-Pier Brunet was scratched for both weekend games with an unspecified injury, and on Saturday both invitee Jack Bodin and 2023 draftee Norwin Panocha left during the game and did not return. Amerks head coach Michael Leone was forced to play four defenseman for the second half of the game, and indicated both blueliners suffered upper-body injuries.

Bodin and Panocha’s status for Monday is unknown, but with three defensemen potentially unavailable, the Sabres may have to bring in reinforcements for the tournament finale.

Sabres Lineup Vs. New Jersey

Forward

Neuchev – Kulich - Rosen

Wahlberg – Helenius - Ostlund

Kisakov – Kozak - Nadeau

Miedema - Tullio - Fiddler-Schultz

Defense

Johnson - Komarov

Novikov - Laaouan

Panocha - Bodin

Goalie

Leenders

Box Score

1^st

BUF - Tullio (Fiddler-Schultz) 5:29

NJ - Xavier Parent

2nd

NJ - Chase Stillman

NJ - Matyas Melovsky

BUF - Kulich (PP) (Rosen - Helenius) (9:28)

3rd

NJ – Squires (EN)

NJ – Stillman (EN)

Shots on Goal

Buffalo – 35

New Jersey - 14

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