Category: Sports News

The Buffalo Sabres’ past four games have all ended with a 4-3 score. The first three 4-3 games were all overtime losses for the Sabres, who fell to the Toronto Maple Leafs, Columbus Blue Jackets and Boston Bruins. But on Saturday, Buffalo’s three-game losing streak was stopped as the Sabres beat the Washington Capitals 4-3 in a shootout. 

That said, it’s a measure of the competitive parity in the Eastern Conference and the NHL in general that, despite earning five of a possible eight standings points in their last four games, the Sabres’ latest win has given them a 5-4-3 record – the worst mark in the East.

Now, it had to be encouraging for Sabres coach Lindy Ruff and GM Kevyn Adams that goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen stepped up with a stellar performance against the Capitals. In only his second game of the season, Luukkonen stopped 31 of 34 Washington shots for a .912 save percentage and 2.79 goals-against average. In addition, Luukkonen stopped all two shots on net he faced in the shootout. The Capitals’ three other shootout attempts didn’t manage to get through to Luukkonen, but that’s not a fact that changes Luukkonen’s otherwise strong game.

But back to our earlier point – the fact the Sabres got points in each of their past four games doesn’t mean that they were guaranteed to climb the ranks in the East. It would be easier for Buffalo if they played in the Western Conference, as there are six teams in the West who have records worse than the Sabres’ current mark. But Buffalo has to deal with the parity in the East and find a way to win many more games than they lose.

Otherwise, while it’s a positive for the Sabres to squeeze out “loser” points, the reality is that, without sustained winning stretches, Buffalo is going to stay where they are in the standings right now. So the pressure is squarely on the Sabres to start putting up ‘W’s and putting pressure on the teams above them in the East.

Sabres Need To Focus On Changing One Key AreaBuffalo's focus shifts from wins to smart losses. Earning crucial "loser points" in the standings by avoiding regulation defeats could define the Sabres' playoff fate.

The Sabres’ next seven games – including two games against the Utah Mammoth and single games against the Carolina Hurricanes, St. Louis Blues, Colorado Avalanche, Detroit Red Wings and Edmonton Oilers – are all against teams that can beat them on any given night. It isn’t until Buffalo takes on the Calgary Flames on Nov. 19 and the Chicago Blackhawks on Nov. 21 that the Sabres have games they absolutely must win. Just about every game is a must-win for Buffalo.

Until that time, the Sabres have to demonstrate they can not only hang with the big boys at the top of the NHL’s pecking order, but thrive against them. Luukkonen (or any Sabres goalie) has to play well enough to give Buffalo a legitimate chance to win night-in and night-out, and if they don’t get an all-around solid showing from all their players, the Sabres are going to be cannon fodder for the 15th-straight year. And that will trigger massive change in Buffalo, both on the ice and in the organization’s management/coaching tree.

Simply put, the Sabres have to be consistently above-average from game-to-game if they’re to have any hope of rising in the highly-competitive Atlantic Division. The good news for Buffalo is that they’re currently only three points behind the Red Wings for second place in their division. The bad news is there are five teams in the way of themselves and Detroit. Some of those teams are likely to play well, which is why it’s paramount for the Sabres to reel off as many wins in a row as they can.

Sabres Must Make Most Of Break In Schedule Before Things Get Really Rough For ThemBuffalo is riding a hot streak, but the Sabres must capitalize on a soft stretch of their schedule, as a brutal stretch is looming soon afterward.

Thus far this season, Buffalo has managed only a pair of modest two-game win streaks. That has to change. The Sabres need many more three, four and five-game win streaks if they’re going to be a Stanley Cup playoff team this season. There’s no other way around it. If Buffalo can’t stitch together a slew of wins, week-in and week-out, the suffering is going to continue in Western New York for the long term.

And if it gets to that point, the Sabres are going to face widespread change to the organization. The stakes have been and always will be very high this season, and Buffalo can’t afford to have any prolonged rough stretches.

Because after their first 12 games of this season, there haven’t been enough victories to put the Sabres where their long-frustrated fans expect them to be.

ELMONT, NY -- The New York Islanders found themselves down 2-1 late in the third period, but a dramatic comeback saw them score twice in 29 seconds to win 3-2 in regulation in front of the home crowd. 

First, it was Matthew Schaefer from the point for his second goal of the night with 1:03 to play in regualtion. He tried to find Anders Lee's stick in front but Zach Werenski's stick sufficed:

SCHAEFER'S SECOND OF THE NIGHT. pic.twitter.com/zkpYp9y5Zl

— New York Islanders (@NYIslanders) November 3, 2025

With that goal, Schaefer became the youngest defenseman in NHL history to record a two-game goal, besting the legendary Bobby Orr. 

Then, just 29 seconds later, Simon Holmstrom tapped home a loose puck behind Blue Jackets' netminder Elvis Merzlikins to give the Islanders the lead:

THE GAME WINNER FROM HOLMSTROM. pic.twitter.com/jrgazYHR7G

— New York Islanders (@NYIslanders) November 3, 2025

The Islanders comeback with 1:07 to play in regulation was the latest comeback win in franchise history. 

The win gave the Islanders their second-straight victory as they are now 6-5-1 on the season. Up next is the Boston Bruins, who they host on Tuesday night at 7 PM ET. 

NEW YORK (AP) — Rookie Matthew Schaefer and Simon Holmstrom scored 29 seconds apart late in the third period, helping the New York Islanders rally for a 3-2 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets on Sunday.

David Rittich made 20 saves in New York’s second straight win.

Miles Wood and defenseman Denton Mateychuk scored for Columbus, which beat St. Louis 3-2 on Saturday for its fourth consecutive win. Elvis Merzlikins made 36 saves.

Schaefer tied it at 2 with his second goal of the game with 1:07 to go. Holmstrom tapped a loose puck past Merzlikins with 38 seconds left for his fourth of the season.

Merzlikins slammed his stick over the crossbar in frustration after Holmstrom’s goal.

Mateychuk backhanded the puck past Rittich at 12:10 of the third for his third goal, lifting the Blue Jackets to a 2-1 lead. Kirill Marchenko and Sean Monahan assisted.

Schafer opened the scoring 5:53 into the first, rifling a shot past Merzlikins on the power play. The 18-year-old Schaefer has 10 points in 12 games since the Islanders made him the first overall pick in this year’s NHL draft.

Bo Horvat and Kyle Palmieri assisted. Horvat leads the Islanders with 13 points, including seven goals.

Columbus tied it at 1 on Wood’s fourth goal at 15:19 of the second.

The Islanders were coming off 3-1 win at Washington on Friday night, finishing a 1-2-1 road trip.

Columbus has won six of eight since a 1-3-0 start.

Up next

Islanders: Host the Boston Bruins on Tuesday.

Blue Jackets: Visit the Calgary Flames on Wednesday to continue five-game trip.

The Buffalo Sabres have had some success with their top picks in the Kevyn Adams era, with Jack Quinn, Owen Power, Isak Rosen, Jiri Kulich, and Zach Benson all part of the current club’s roster, but part of the indictment of the current Sabres development is that only one player of the 39 selected outside of the first round in the last five drafts (Tyson Kozak) has played an NHL game.  

At the 2023 NHL Draft in Nashvile the Sabres appear to have hit it big with Zach Benson 13th overall, but the jury is still out on second rounders Anton Wahlberg, Maxim Strbak, and third rounder Gavin McCarthy. Fourth rounder Ethan Miedema was not signed after two years and is no longer Buffalo property.  

Here is a quick update on the remaining players selected in 2023:

Scott Ratzlaff – G – 141st overall

Last season, Ratzlaff finished 23-19-4, with a 3.16 GAA and .910 save % with the WHL’s Seattle Thunderbirds. After the Sabres signed veteran Alexandar Georgiev and he accepted an AHL assignment, the club demoted the 20-year-old to the Jacksonville Icemen of the ECHL, where he has started 3-0, with a 1.29 GAA and ,966 save %. 

Other Sabres Stories

Six Former Sabres Who Signed Elsewhere

Norris Out Eight Weeks At Least  

Sean Keohane – D – 173rd overall

A physical specimen at 6’4”, 205 lb., Keohane came out of Dexter Southfield Prep in Massachusetts and was slated to play a full season in the USHL with Tri-City before heading to Harvard, but after 16 games, the 20-year-old shifted to West Kelowna in the BCHL to get more playing time. Last season, he played 11 games for the Crimson and finished with two assists, this season he is scoreless in one game. 

Norwin Panocha – D – 205th overall

Drafted out of Berlin in the DEL, the 6’2”, 190 lb. defenseman opted to come to North America and play for Chicoutimi in the QMJHL. In 52 QMJHL games, Panocha had 15 assists. The 20-year-old also played for Germany at the WJC in Sweden and in Ottawa last January. After being dropped by the Sagueneens, he was selected by Prince Albert in the CHL Import Draft but played only 3 games for the Raiders before he was dropped again.

After a brief stop playing in the USHL, Panocha returned home to play for Berlin, where he finished with two assists in 16 DEL games. This season, he has two assists in 15 games with the Polar Bears. 

Follow Michael on X, Instagram, and Bluesky @MikeInBuffalo

Pittsburgh Penguins' center Evgeni Malkin will face discipline for his actions in Saturday's 5-2 loss against the Winnipeg Jets.

During the game, Malkin slashed Winnipeg forward Logan Stanley on the hands, and he was fined $5,000 - the maximum allowable under the CBA - for the slash.

NEWS: #LetsGoPens F Evgeni Malkin has been fined $5,000 (max allowable under CBA) for slashing #GoJetsGo D Logan Stanley
pic.twitter.com/6Ksjv945N8

— NHL News (@PuckReportNHL) November 2, 2025

 Malkin, 39, has been fined on four different occasions throughout his career, and he has also been suspended by the league twice for slashing and cross-checking infractions. He has three goals and 18 points in 13 games this season. 

Bookmark THN - Pittsburgh Penguins on your Google News tab to follow the latest Penguins news, roster moves, player features, and more!   

The Toronto Marlies and Maple Leafs center David Kampf is taking time away from the team to consider his future with the Maple Leafs organization, as reported by Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman on 'Saturday Headlines'.

Ahead of the 2025-26 season, Kampf was demoted from Toronto’s NHL roster, as it’s clear his finesse game is not what Maple Leafs coach Craig Berube wants to see out of his team.

The road that could be ahead for Kampf could be rockier than he envisioned when he signed a four-year, $9.6-million contract with Toronto in 2023. As a matter of fact, it’s precisely Kampf’s contract that’s pushed him into limbo.

When a salary cap hit of $2.4 million, while only generating five goals and 13 points last season, there are going to be younger, hungrier players who’ll do the same job for more than a 50 percent cut in pay.

It’s no accident that rugged left winger Sammy Blais, who earns $775,000 against the cap, was going to jump him on the Leafs’ depth chart after the team claimed him on waivers on Oct. 6. 

This is what MLSE CEO and president Keith Pelley was talking about when he said Berube was going to play a larger role in the roster decisions that GM Brad Treliving was ultimately responsible for.

This is the result of prioritizing the physicality Blais brings over the defense-minded and less physical style that Kampf employs. And as the Leafs have gotten grittier, it became apparent at the end of last season that Kampf no longer was a fit. 

Indeed, Kampf played only 59 games last season – and more tellingly, one appearance in the playoffs – because he wasn’t the player Berube wanted on the Leafs’ fourth line. In addition, Kampf averaged a career-low 12:24 of ice time in the regular season.

The acquisition of veteran Nicolas Roy from the Vegas Golden Knights last summer made Kampf even more expendable. Plus, if Kampf isn’t going to be in the lineup with veteran centers Scott Laughton and Steven Lorentz injured, with an opening on Toronto’s fourth line, he’s most definitely not going to be in the lineup when they’re healthy.

It's no secret that even with Kampf down with the American League's Marlies, they’d prefer to trade Kampf.

The problem is, very few teams want to take on that kind of money for that type of player. That’s why, when Kampf was waived before the regular season began, there were no takers for him. Too many players can do what he can do for far cheaper than what he’s getting.

Other NHL players have come to a crossroads with their teams and mutually agreed to terminate their contracts when no trade could be arranged for them.

Left winger Conor Sheary and the Tampa Bay Lightning agreed to terminate his contract in late June, as well as left winger Brandon Saad with the St. Louis Blues in January of last season.

Sheary is now getting regular minutes with the New York Rangers, with four assists in 13 games, and Saad signed with the Golden Knights not long after his contract termination.

Terminating a contract is a more abrupt move than a contract buyout would be, but it at least gives a player a chance to find a team that will value his skills and keep him in hockey’s top league.

Ultimately, Kampf is feeling the repercussions of signing a contract that has proved to be too rich for even the Leafs. It's not entirely Kampf’s fault for being where he is right now, but he does have to own it. 

Barring some catastrophic injuries to more Leafs forwards, Kampf is going to be in limbo until he comes to terms with needing a change of scenery. He wouldn’t be the first NHL veteran to discover their contractual value isn’t what it had been only a few years prior, and he won’t be the last.

For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.