The Buffalo Sabres broke their 10-game road winless streak with a 5-3 win over the New Jersey Devils on Tuesday night, thanks to a stellar performance from defenseman Rasmus Dahlin, who scored and assisted on the game-winning goal by Casey Mittelstadt.
Rasmus Asplund, Brandon Montour, and Rasmus Ristolainen also scored for the Sabres, earning points in five straight games (3-0-2). Linus Ullmark was solid in goal, making 27 saves, as he secured his fourth win against the Devils this season.
“It’s a great feeling. You can see the guys smiling on the bench and playing confidently,” Dahlin said, crediting interim coach Don Granato for reinvigorating the team and boosting their morale.
For New Jersey, Damon Severson, Jesper Bratt, and Pavel Zacha found the back of the net, but it wasn’t enough to overcome the Sabres. Scott Wedgewood made 13 saves in his first start in five games, but the Devils struggled to maintain their lead.
Dahlin tied the game at 3-3 late in the second period with a sharp shot from the left circle, marking just his third goal of the season. Mittelstadt’s game-winner came with 9:40 remaining in the third period during Buffalo’s second power play of the night. Dahlin played a pivotal role, keeping the puck in the offensive zone before setting up Mittelstadt for a redirection into an open net.
“I didn’t have to do much. Rasmus just did what Rasmus does,” Mittelstadt said. “He makes it look easy, but that’s a tough play.”
Granato praised Dahlin for his decisive contributions. “He’s been fantastic,” Granato said. “We don’t win that game without him stepping up. He made some key plays that turned the game in our favor.”
Ristolainen sealed the win with an empty-net goal, giving the Sabres their first road victory since February 23, also against New Jersey. The 10-game road skid was the longest in the NHL since the Los Angeles Kings went 0-10-1 from October to December 2019.
Devils coach Lindy Ruff pointed out that all of Buffalo’s goals resulted from mistakes by the Devils while they had the puck. “The shot count might be low, but when you give up high-quality chances like we did, it’s misleading,” Ruff said.
The game, featuring the two bottom teams in the East Division, was closely contested and tied 3-3 after two periods. It also saw the NHL debut of Tyce Thompson, the brother of Sabres forward Tage Thompson. Tyce contributed early, helping set up Severson’s opening goal with a shot that led to a rebound.
“It was special,” Tyce Thompson said of his debut. “I had a lot of emotions—excitement, nerves—but the guys helped keep me calm and focused. It’s unfortunate we didn’t come away with the win.”
Buffalo tied the game midway through the first period when Asplund capitalized on a turnover and a nice pass from Mittelstadt. Montour then gave the Sabres the lead with a rebound goal late in the first, though Bratt equalized in the final second of the period with a power-play goal. Zacha briefly restored the Devils’ lead in the second period, but Dahlin responded just over four minutes later to tie it again.
Trade Watch
Kyle Palmieri of the Devils and Taylor Hall of the Sabres were held out of their respective lineups as their teams explored trade options ahead of the upcoming trade deadline. Palmieri was sidelined on Sunday, while Hall joined him in sitting out on Tuesday.
Brotherly Debut
Tyce Thompson comes from a hockey family—his father, Brent Thompson, played six seasons in the NHL and currently coaches the AHL’s Bridgeport Sound Tigers. Although Brent couldn’t attend the game, Tyce’s mother, Kim, was present. The Devils have a history of sibling matchups, with players like P.K. Subban, Jack Hughes, and Jesper Boqvist all having brothers in the NHL.
Game Notes
The Sabres dressed seven defensemen, with Matt Irwin taking on additional shifts. Bratt’s goal ended an 0-for-16 drought on the Devils’ power play. Devils rookie Mikhail Maltsev picked up his first career assist on Severson’s goal, and Asplund has now scored in three of the last five games.
Up Next
- The Devils and Sabres will conclude their season series in Buffalo on Thursday night.
