Sabres Youngsters Shine In Preseason Victory Over Blue Jackets

One of the major concerns facing the Buffalo Sabres after winning the Atlantic Division and advancing to the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs is how to maintain that level of success, in spite of not having two major pieces of last year’s club, winger Alex Tuch and defenseman Bowen Byram, on the roster.

After not making any additions in free agency or in the trade market over the summer, the plan of GM Jarmo Kekalainen is to rely on the club’s talented cohort of youngsters to step up and fill the offensive gap. Kekalainen showed his confidence in that group by locking up winger Zach Benson (7 years @ $7.5 million AAV) and forward Noah Ostlund (8 years @ $6.6 million AAV) before the season. 

This duo, along with winger Jack Quinn could be the most important unit for the upcoming season, to provide secondary offense and take some of the burden off of the top line and leading scorer Tage Thompson, which they did in the Sabres 5-1 victory over Columbus in the preseason opener on Tuesday.

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Ostlund had two goals on the night; one converted after a Benson shot hit the post behind Blue Jackets goalie Cam Talbot, and the other on a two-on-one break. The unit showed some signs of chemistry which will be necessary for Buffalo to make the postseason for a second straight season. 

" I  think  all  three  of  us  just  read  the  game  at  a  really  high  level,  and   I  think  you  can  see  that  out  there. J ust  knowing  where  each  other  are  going  to  be  and  knowing  each  other's  game." Benson said.  "(Noah) is   an  elite  passer. You've  got  to  always  be  ready  when  he  has  the puck on his stick."    

Thompson, Josh Norris, and Conor Timmins also scored for Buffalo, and Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen stopped all 13 shots through two periods, prior to being relieved by Colten Ellis in the third. The Sabres play in Detroit on Thursday night and finish up the exhibition schedule on Saturday afternoon against Pittsburgh before opening the regular season in Columbus on October 1. 

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