As part of a new, season-long series on TheHockeyNews.com, we’re analyzing every Buffalo Sabres game in the 2026-27 season. 

In each file, we’re spotlighting three different things: the Best Thing: the top statistic, player, or narrative Sabres fans will enjoy. Secondly, we’ll pick out the worst thing from every game from a Sabres perspective. And we’ll finish by wrapping up our thoughts on the game, and preparing readers for Buffalo’s game – a tough showdown on Thursday when the Sabres host the Dallas Stars. 

With that said, here’s this writer’s thoughts on the Sabres’ 3-2 comeback overtime win over the Minnesota Wild:

Best Thing: The comeback

The Sabres dug themselves a two-goal hole in this game, but in an approximately six-minute span early in the third frame, they evened things up on goals from Noah Ostlund (with his first of the season) and Tage Thompson (with his second of the year). And with goalie Colten Ellis stopping 18 of 20 Minnesota shots to give his team a chance to win the game, Buffalo got the overtime victory on Owen Power’s first marker of the year.

The goal gave Power his fifth point of the season, while Thompson now has four points on the season. But it was the Sabres bending, but not breaking that was the biggest positive takeaway from this game. There are going to be nights where Buffalo just doesn’t have it on offense, and there are going to be nights where they trail for most of the game. 

But hanging in there and keeping the deficit to two goals was a big reason why the Sabres’ comeback ended in victory. And they’re now 2-1-0 to start the season at a time they could’ve been 1-2-0 and negative Nancys would’ve ruled the day. Winning makes you forget a lot of negatives, but Buffalo needs to remember their fighting spirit, because that’s what delivered the ‘W’ against a Wild team many are predicting big things from this year.

Worst Thing

The Sabres’ power play has yet to generate a single goal in 10 opportunities this season, and that includes two man-advantages against the Wild. Buffalo had the NHL’s 21st-best power play in 2025-26, but they’ve started the 2026-27 campaign unable to do any damage at all with the extra man. 

Is that partly because of the departure of star winger Alex Tuch? Not really. Tuch produced seven power-play goals and nine power-play-points last season – decent numbers, but nothing that would’ve created a gaping hole on the power play that the team hasn’t been able to adequately fill.

Special teams success isn’t going to bail you out each night if you’re not doing good things at even strength. But failing to generate a single PP goal in four games is something that will soon be an issue for Sabres coach Lindy Ruff.

The Wrap-Up:

Winning three straight games after losing Game 1 to the Columbus Blue Jackets is an impressive achievement, and one that should infuse Sabres fans with confidence. The Wild were hurting without injured  star defenseman Brock Faber, but that’s still a well-constructed Minnesota squad, and Buffalo deserves full credit for absorbing a couple body blows and punching back just as hard, if not harder.

Now attention turns to the Sabres’ Thursday game against the Stars. Dallas has a 1-2-0 record thus far this season, losing to the St. Louis Blues and Nashville Predators before beating the San Jose Sharks on Monday for their first win of the season. Dallas has produced only six goals this season, and five of them were against San Jose. So if the Sabres can clamp down on the Stars in Buffalo’s defensive zone, and if Buffalo’s offense can get more volume of goals, the Sabres have a chance to stake out a very strong start to the year.

Like every team, Buffalo has its flaws. But the Sabres have to be opportunistic, and finding a way to eke out a win over the Wild now gives Buffalo a chance to make people forget about their stumble out of the gate in 2025-26. And that has to be a big win for Ruff and GM Jarmo Kekalainen.