The Buffalo Sabres are riding the highs and lows of a season that’s been anything but predictable. One night they’re taking down a top-tier team like the Carolina Hurricanes, and the next, they’re stumbling through tough losses to the Penguins and Devils. But just when it looked like the wheels might be wobbling, they delivered a gritty 3-2 shootout win over the Minnesota Wild on Saturday night - a performance that showed this team still has fight.
Now, with the Winnipeg Jets coming to town, the Sabres are staring down another opportunity to find something they’ve lacked all season: consistency.
Let’s start with the Jets. They’re fresh off a win against the Nashville Predators, snapping a four-game skid that exposed just how much they miss Connor Hellebuyck between the pipes. With their All-Star goalie sidelined due to a knee injury, Winnipeg has struggled to find stability in net, and it’s shown in their results.
That’s where Buffalo has a real chance to strike - and it starts with the opening goal.
Here’s the deal: Winnipeg has scored first just once in their last five games. That one time?
Their lone win in that stretch. In the four games they didn’t get on the board first, they lost.
Simple as that.
For the Sabres, the numbers tell an even clearer story. When they score first at home, they’re a perfect 6-0-0.
But when they fall behind early? The record drops to 2-5-2.
That’s not just a trend - that’s a blueprint. This team feeds off momentum, and when they’re able to play with a lead, they settle into their game.
The puck movement is cleaner, the forecheck is more aggressive, and the defensive structure holds firmer.
But when they’re chasing? Things get dicey.
The Sabres have been outscored 27-20 in the first period this season, and that early deficit often forces them to press - sometimes too much. And when you’re pressing, mistakes happen.
Gaps open up. Opponents capitalize.
So the mission against Winnipeg is clear: come out flying, get on the board first, and dictate the pace.
Of course, scoring first doesn’t guarantee anything - there’s still 50-plus minutes of hockey after that. But for a Sabres team trying to shake off inconsistency and build some traction, an early goal can be the spark that sets the tone. It’s not just about the scoreboard - it’s about confidence, rhythm, and playing Sabres hockey instead of trying to claw back into a game that’s already slipping away.
With the Jets vulnerable and the Sabres showing flashes of what they can be, this matchup is a chance to turn the page. But it starts with the first shift, the first shot, and ideally, the first goal.