The Buffalo Sabres concluded their preseason with a 5-4 overtime loss against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Friday at PPG Paints Arena. Despite the defeat, the game provided several key takeaways as the Sabres prepare for their regular season opener against the New York Rangers on October 9.
Kulich's Performance Shines
One of the brightest spots for the Sabres was the performance of Jiri Kulich, who scored two goals. Kulich's offensive contribution provided a silver lining in the loss, showcasing his potential to be a valuable asset to the team. Tage Thompson also contributed with a goal and an assist, continuing his productive preseason. Thompson's goal was his fourth of the preseason, and he finished the exhibition schedule tied with Josh Norris for the team lead in points.
Goaltending Concerns
The Sabres' goaltending situation remains uncertain as the regular season approaches. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen is expected to miss the season opener due to a lower-body injury sustained during a previous preseason game against the Penguins. This leaves Alex Lyon and Alexandar Georgiev as the likely options in net. In the game against Pittsburgh, Lyon stopped 11 of 13 shots in two periods, while Georgiev made 14 saves on 16 shots in the third period and overtime. The team will need solid goaltending to start the season strong, and the performance of Lyon and Georgiev will be critical. It appears Alex Lyon has won the backup goalie position.
Defensive Injuries and Absences
The Sabres were without several key defensemen, including Rasmus Dahlin (rest day), Owen Power, Mattias Samuelsson, and Michael Kesselring (injuries). Power and Samuelsson are expected to be ready for the regular season opener. Bowen Byram returned to the lineup after recovering from an upper-body injury. The absence of these players provided an opportunity for young defensemen like Zach Metsa, Ryan Johnson, and Vsevolod Komarov to gain experience against Pittsburgh's NHL lineup. The Sabres need to ensure their defensive corps is healthy and ready to compete as they enter the regular season. Radim Mrtka, the ninth overall pick in the 2025 NHL Draft, has been assigned to the Rochester Americans of the AHL.
The Sabres finished the preseason with a 3-3 record. The team will need to address their defensive issues and solidify their goaltending situation before the regular season begins on October 9 against the New York Rangers.
