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CALGARY – Rasmus Dahlin raised his arms in celebration, hugged Mattias Samuelsson and pointed his right index finger at JJ Peterka, the rookie who made the pass to help complete the historic moment Thursday night.
Dahlin, now a vocal leader and elite playmaker amid his fifth NHL season, became the first defenseman in NHL history to start a season with a four-game goal streak when his wrist shot from the slot zipped past Calgary Flames goalie Jacob Markstrom inside Scotiabank Saddledome.
“I don’t think I’ll ever be surprised by what Dahlin does,” coach Don Granato said afterward.
During a game in which the Sabres’ evolution into a dangerous offensive team was on full display against one of the NHL’s best, it was fitting that Dahlin was at the center of their 6-3 victory over the previously undefeated Flames. After all, no player has taken a bigger leap under Granato than the 2018 first overall draft pick.
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His wizardry with the puck, reliable defense and continued growth as a leader was a catalyst during the Sabres’ late-season resurgence in the spring. And he’s been even better through four games, averaging a team-high 24:40 of ice time with four goals and five points. The 22-year-old even brushed off this latest milestone by quickly crediting his teammates and noting that he’s far from done.
“It’s crazy,” Dahlin said with a smile. “I don’t know what to say, really. It’s pretty crazy to think about it, but you know, there’s, whatever, 78 games left so I’ve got more (work) to do.”
Dahlin wasn’t the only Sabre to showcase his talent offensively.
Alex Tuch had his first career hat trick for Buffalo (3-1), while Dylan Cozens and Casey Mittelstadt each added a goal to help the Sabres rally from a 1-0 deficit and hold off a furious rally by the Flames (3-1). The Sabres’ passing clinic against the Flames also led to multi-assist efforts by Vinnie Hinostroza, Jacob Bryson and Owen Power, the latter of whom had the first multi-point game of his NHl career.
Dahlin is the engine, though. He’s developed into the workhorse, well-rounded defenseman scouts projected him to become ahead of a draft in which he was the consensus top prospect. An alternate captain, Dahlin’s one-of-a-kind skill set is tailormade for Granato’s fast-paced system that benefits creative players like those on the Sabres’ roster.
With the Sabres shorthanded on the blue line with Henri Jokiharju injured, Granato leaned on a defense corps that has an average age of 22.4 years old. Dahlin, the leader of the group, finished with a team-high 25:15 of ice time and blocked five shots.
“He’s one of the smartest players I’ve ever played with, and I don’t think he’s come close to being as good as he can be,” Tuch said.
The game didn’t start ideally for Buffalo The Sabres fell behind 1-0 with Andrew Mangiapane’s goal 4:21 into the first period and, moments later, Jokiharju left after getting hit in the face with the puck.
Cozens broke through first when he poked the puck over the goal line after his backhanded shot went off Markstrom’s right leg pad. Then, Dahlin etched his name in the history book again when he received a centering pass from Peterka and scored another goal deep in the offensive zone for a 2-1 lead.
“I think his confidence is just there and he’s making the right reads, jumping up at the right times,” Mittelstadt added. “He’s just a good player. I think it’s that simple.”
When informed by Sabres public relations Tuesday in Edmonton that he tied the league record with a three-game goal streak to open the season, Dahlin responded with an ambitious plan. He wanted to make it four in a row. And by doing so, he also became the second defenseman in franchise history to score in four consecutive games, joining his former coach Phil Housley, who accomplished the feat in 1988.
Dahlin also had an assist taken off the scoresheet in the second period when replay review showed Tage Thompson’s power-play shot from the left circle hit the cross bar, which would have given the Sabres a 5-1 advantage. The Flames responded with consecutive goals to cut the deficit to 4-3, including Trevor Lewis’ with 1.6 seconds left in the second period that occurred because an official kicked the puck in front of Buffalo’s net.
The Sabres, meanwhile, endured some tough luck by hitting the post on multiple occasions. Finally, though, when Calgary seemed to be on the verge of tying the score, Tuch delivered a power-play goal when he dragged the puck past a defenseman and fired a wrist shot for a 5-3 lead with 14:19 left in regulation.
Eric Comrie stood tall again in the third period, limiting second-chance opportunities and providing a calming influence to his young defensemen. He finished with 40 saves, making him the first goalie in Sabres history to record 40-save wins in consecutive games. Tuch sealed the result with an empty-net goal that finally silenced most of the 17,080 fans in attendance.
“It doesn’t matter who we play against,” Tuch said. “If they’re the toughest team in the league, if they’re super, highly-skilled, we can play with anyone.”
Here are other observations from the game:
The Sabres’ preference to use skilled, goal-scoring forwards on the penalty kill paid off with Hinostroza springing Mittelstadt for a breakaway that ended with a highlight-reel shorthanded goal and 3-1 Sabres lead at 13:10 into the first period. Mittelstadt used his speed to reach the puck in the neutral zone and created enough separation to unleash a backhanded shot that went off the crossbar and in for his first goal of the season. He had three shots on goal and won 54% of his faceoffs, continuing a strong run of play after he missed a bulk of 2021-22 with an injury.
“He’s my brother,” Dahlin said of Mittelstadt. “We spent three years rooming together, so I knew what he was going through last season and I’m just so happy for him. He’s back and he’s playing great. He just has to stay hot.”
There were a few notable moments from an eventful first period for the Sabres. Hinostroza assisted on all three of Buffalo’s goals, giving him four assists since making his season debut Tuesday in Edmonton. With a primary assist on Dahlin’s goal, Peterka has two goals and four points in four games.
Though it may go unnoticed, Bryson made the play that led to the Sabres’ opening goal by Cozens. Bryson carried the puck to the left hashmark near the slot to draw in two Calgary defenders and create space for Cozens in front before sending a perfect pass to the slot to create the scoring opportunity. Cozens, meanwhile, had a team-high six shots on goal and won 62% of his faceoffs.
Jokiharju sat motionless on the ice for a few moments until he slowly clutched his face. Jokiharju a 20-minutes-per-game defenseman for Buffalo, took a puck to the face when the Sabres attempted to dump the puck into the offensive zone and play was eventually stopped 4:59 into the game so he could be attended to by a trainer. Jokiharju needed to be helped to the bench and didn’t return to the game, leaving the Sabres short a defenseman for the second time in as many games. Granato didn’t have an update on Jokiharju’s status.
Granato deployed the same lineup Thursday as he did in the win over Edmonton, with 21-year-old winger Jack Quinn among the healthy scratches. Quinn sat for a second consecutive game in what Granato described as an opportunity to watch from a different perspective. Quinn skated 11:255 and 9:33 against Ottawa and Florida, respectively.
Additionally, defenseman Ilya Lyubushkin was scratched and remains day to day, though he participated in the morning skate. Casey Fitzgerald drew into the lineup for the first time this season.
The Sabres continue their road trip Saturday in Vancouver with a game against the Canucks at 10 p.m., Eastern.
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