Shutdown Pair

Tag: Zach Benson

  • Double Trouble

    Double Trouble

    The game started exactly how you’d want – Tage Thompson getting a goal, tapping in a shot/pass from Dahlin. That was the last time Buffalo looked decent (other than some saves from Lyon) until the third period as the Canadiens scored 4 unanswered en route to a 6-2 win. Dahlin had the other Sabres goal to briefly make things interesting at the end of the second on into the third.

    Beyond Tage and Dahlin showing up for work, there weren’t a ton of bright spots out there. Benson was still a pest and created some great chances, Dahlin’s goal was on the power play, which looked like an actual functioning unit for a stretch of the third.

    I’m curious to see what changes are made, if any. I don’t think Lyon was a problem, he made some monster saves despite the goals but I would understand if a shakeup happens. Logan Stanley was in full oaf mode (derogatory):

    For the love of GOD Stanley do not get behind the Canadiens net!!!

    — TheTickMS (@thetickms.bsky.social) 2026-05-11T01:27:13.065Z

    If there is one guy who shouldn’t be in deep in the offensive zone, it’s the giant lumbering defenseman who skates about as fast as I walk. Carrick was back, Zucker seemed to be limited – I haven’t seen anything from Lindy as I write this, but he took shifts through the whole game, just not many), Quinn was still rough, so there’s room for shuffling.

    It’s okay to be worried, but most playoff series aren’t cakewalks. Montreal beat Tampa Bay to get here, they’ve got their guys too. I’ll let Dubs finish it off:

    This is still fun as balls, don’t let yourself be convinced it’s not. Let the players worry about the loss, crack another beer and get ready to drown yourself in work tomorrow and Tuesday so the clock moves faster.

    — Matty Dubs (@theycallmedubs.bsky.social) 2026-05-11T02:07:06.062Z

    See you Tuesday.

  • Sabres Lay an Egg

    Sabres Lay an Egg

    The Buffalo Sabres lines (other than the 3rd one) looked absolutely lost as they dropped game two 5-1. Tage in particular seems barely functional as a human being, let alone a 40 goal scorer. Zach Benson was the lone bright spot and goal scorer for the good guys, working his ass off behind the net and then moving to the front for a tap in after.

    Benson mean mugging Dobes

    Benson about to say something ridiculous

    Tage Thompson was an absolute nightmare tonight. He fell multiple times, leading directly to goals. He passed when he should’ve shot, and never seemed to be in the right spot. I said during the game on Bluesky that if that had been Vanek back in the old days, Lindy would’ve put his ass on the 4th line. The old timer may be hoping he’ll play his way out of it but I don’t think the Sabres survive to the conference finals if Tage plays like that.

    Sorry they wasted your goal, Benny. Sunday, 7pm, these dipshits better be ready to do what they did in Boston.

  • Uh Oh, Montreal!

    Uh Oh, Montreal!

    The 40 goal scorer hasn’t netted one since game 1 against Boston. The team managed only *16* shots, getting outshot by 12 for the game. The Sabres lost two thirds of their faceoffs, and gave the puck away 15 times to Montreal’s 7.

    And yet, watching the game, I never once thought that Buffalo would lose. They scored an early goal after Lane Hutson tripped and gave the puck away, and honestly, they never looked back. Benson fed Doan for that first goal, and then Benson found McLeod on the power play (after Doan did excellent work in front of the net to gain possession) for the second tally. Montreal got one late in the first to make it interesting on a great pass across the crease on the man advantage to Nick Suzuki, but the second period went much the same as the first. Jordan Greenway scored, followed by Byram. Greenway in particular was all over the ice, hitting dudes and making plays.

    Buffalo didn’t have their best, especially from the top two lines, but it didn’t matter. The Canadiens can clean up their game tomorrow night, and they’ll have to if they don’t want to be down two games to none when they get home.3

    He pissed you off all game, and he’ll fucking do it again.

  • Sabres Head To Round 2

    Sabres Head To Round 2

    The big, bad Bruins needed help but didn’t get it, falling to the Sabres in Game 6 4-1. The Buffalo goals were scored by Samuelsson, and Benson, and an empty-netter by Josh Norris to seal it. Alex Lyon played his ass off in net, saving 25 of 26, many of them excellent chances.

    For all of their vaunted toughness and strength, there were long stretches of games in this series where Boston was simply outplayed. It wasn’t quite as bad as the 4 goal first the other night, but the Bruins were overmatched all through the opening period. They rallied a bit in the second, getting a goal from Pastrnak on a 2-on-1 with Pavel Zacha that Lyon had no chance on. But Doan raced into the Boston zone early in the third and carried two Bruins players with him, sacrificing his body by smashing into the end boards to pass the puck to a streaking Benson for the gut shot. From that point on, the Sabres played smothering defense, with Boston barely able to get past the blue line.

    Buffalo Sabres player Alex Tuch shouting excitedly

    The Sabres await the winner of Tampa/Montreal (heading to Game 7) to find their next opponent. For me, from here on out they’re playing with house money. They proved they weren’t just a fluke, breaking two major droughts (making the playoffs, winning a series). That doesn’t mean the work is done. Let Lindy send you on your way:

  • The Vibes are GOOD

    The Vibes are GOOD

    Okay, so last night’s game ended GREAT (5-0!) despite getting heavily outshot in the first two periods. Colten Ellis stood on his head, his back, his elbow, and every other part for his first career shutout while the Sabres offense woke up for 4 goals in the third period.

    But honestly? WHO CARES IT WAS SO MUCH FUCKING FUN! The crowd was rocking, singing along with songs, chanting at the terrible officiating (some things never change), and booing Columbus whenever possible.

    It wasn’t perfect as I felt like Buffalo wasn’t being physical, and had a little bit of their previous passing problem, but they figured it out in the third. Peyton Krebs opened the scoring in the first, and the lights-out play by Ellis kept that as the winner. Josh Doan scored twice, including an amazing individual effort where he stole the puck right off the stick of Charlie Coyle and fired it home. Jack Quinn scores the next one on a 4 on 2 breakaway, and Doan gets his second moments later on a beauty of a feed by Hobbit/Vampire Zach Benson (seriously, look at any picture of him). Dahlin finished things off with a 200 foot empty net goal.

    Buffalo now sits at 106 points, tops in the Eastern Conference. They play in Chicago Monday, and the final *regular season* game of the season if Wednesday at home against the Dallas Stars. What a ride the past few months have been.

  • Handling Disappointment

    Handling Disappointment

    So, your favorite team lost. And just after you really got into them (or back in). How rude! It can be hugely frustrating to watch the Sabres make a bunch of mistakes and lose, so how do you put up with it for 80+ games? As someone who in part stepped away from fandom spaces because I couldn’t handle how mad it made me, I have some tips.

    1. Find the good – In even the worst-played game, some fun stuff happens. For example, UPL had some great saves. Maybe the sight of Zach Benson annoying the shit out of some Bruin twice his size makes you chuckle.
    2. Figure out why your coach loves a guy – “Man, why is this guy playing over X?” We’ve all had that thought about some player on our teams. See if you can figure out what Lindy sees in him. Maybe he wants a bigger guy to hit/absorb hits. Or he needs someone he can trust to get out of the zone (heaven knows the Sabres could’ve used better passing last night).
    3. Learn something new – Have you ever really watched line changes? Or faceoffs? What “job” does a certain player have on the power play or the kill? It can be interesting to pay attention to one specific area you don’t often think about.

    Years ago, watching a terrible loss or a lackluster effort would’ve driven me mad. I’ve managed to work on that part of myself, and have learned to enjoy the good parts of sports and shake my head and laugh. After all…

    Also, if you need a feel-good moment, here’s video of Sabres fans welcoming Rasmus Dahlin’s fiancée back to Buffalo. Carolina Matovac nearly died while on vacation last summer in France, and ended up having to get a heart transplant. She was finally able to return here this week.

    ESPN has the full story, but please note that it’s pretty harrowing, and does involve the loss of their unborn child.

    Buffalo returns to action tomorrow night against the Detroit Red Wings.