Zemgus Girgensons leads Sabres in rout of Golden Knights
I’m Lance L sski the Sabers beat rider for the Buffalo News coming to you from Key Bank Center where the Sabers defeated the defend the defending Stanley Cup champion Vegas golden knights 7 to2 Sabres went up two nothing early in this one Jeff Skinner scored very early in the first period Dylan
Cousins added a short-handed goal early in the second then Vegas came roaring back two quick goals to tie it and for a while there looks like the golden knights were going to take control of this game their four check was giving the Sabers all sorts of fits Buffalo was
Having trouble exiting its Zone you know putting a lot of pressure on its goalie UK peka Lucan and to keep them in the game then suddenly the sabes got back into it and one week before the trade deadline not even a week six days as I stand Here
Right Now zus Genson one of their three main pending ufas scored the eventual game winner on a shot from the right Circle Eric Robinson forced the turnover passed over to gurgenson who stick handled around Alex Petra Angelo pretty good defenseman and beat Logan Thompson with a shot from the right
Circle really great play he wasn’t the only one who got in on on the scoring Kyle loosa scored in the third and you know Buffalo took control scored four in the four in the third period to to pull away Lucan made 22 saves but the story for me here is
Since this was a game where the sabes they couldn’t play on the perimeter they had to get to the front of the net they had to for check they had to earn their their ozone time you can’t just carry it over the blue line and have easy possessions against the golden knights
They’re going to make it difficult on you and with the way that Genson plays he chips the puck in he wins Puck battles he knows where to put the puck exactly when he does Chip it in to give him a chance of of winning those battles giving his linemates a chance to win
Those battles and he broke through scored again he’s been on a little bit of a heater recently I believe it’s three goals in his last six games uh something along those lines and it’s come at a good time from him for him from a business perspective garson’s as I said a pending UFA
Expiring contract the deadline is March 8th so Kevin Adams is running out of time here to decide who he’s going to trade who he’s going to keep when it comes to players like gurson’s and KY post so it’s going to be their call there’s going to be interest teams are
Teams are going to look to add those types of players to their roster not only for a playoff run but once they get in Genson of course has spent all 10 seasons of his NHL career in Buffalo a first round draft pick 2012 came back for another season with
The plan to get this team in the playoffs and it didn’t work but he’s going to have an opportunity to help somebody not only get in but make quite a run he’s healthy versatile player he’s going to be able to upgrade somebody’s bottom sticks as as the golden knights
Were reminded on Saturday night he’s fast gurgenson can move he’s not like your typical bottom six Guy where maybe speed is a a bit of an issue no he can keep up he can play that fast-paced game that you’re going to have to and he can
Also he can for check he can go in and help you score some of those dirty goals you’re going to need to at this time of year to the Sabers cred it they actually did that Saturday against Vegas they weren’t just scoring on the perimeter these weren’t just fancy shots they
Weren’t just odd man rushes you know they were getting to the front of the net they were getting to the middle of the ice areas that they’ve really had trouble getting to since January 1st now suddenly we look at this team and and where they stand over the last two
Months and Buffalo’s on 100 Point Pace since the new year what version of this team is for real are we talking about the team that in you know October November and December was playing at a 74 Point pace so the one that has suddenly you know won five out of their
Last six they’re they’re really playing some impressive hockey right now and getting back to their identity this team lost its way for a while they weren’t playing with Pace they you know if one thing was working the other wasn’t their power plays Five for 10 over the last
Four games imagine if that would have been the case or at least even a fraction of that production for a few months mons there we would be talking this whole conversation would be different the Savers would be buying at the deadline as opposed to selling now gurgenson to his
Credit he didn’t want to talk about the deadline after this game he doesn’t want that to be the story after the Sabers beat Vegas 7 to2 he brushed it off he had the conversation with Kevin Adams as did KY looso and Eric Johnson they’re going to all keep them
To to themselves though in terms of the the content of those conversations gurgenson wouldn’t say if he hopes to go chase the cup elsewhere the man deserves the opportunity though he’s given given this organization 10 years many nights when you know guys may not have anything
Left in the tank he’s still playing his game and on a night when the Sabers needed it he delivered in a big way only a few more days again March 8th this coming Friday is the trade deadline and it’s a a storyline to watch I’m sure if
You’re Kevin Adams with the the way your team is playing and how much you need to evaluate this group the last couple months of the Season well or even less than that now 6 weeks or so you would like to have those depth guys around you would like to have a Zenus gurgenson
Kyle loock poso in your room to help this group have a strong finish even though the Sabers are out of the playoff picture it’s going to be far too difficult to gain the ground that they’ve you know to dig themselves out of a hole so to say you still want to
Have enough depth to have your team be positioned to have a strong finish this group needs it they need for the confidence they need to build a foundation toward next season but the Sabers are in a position where if oosa and Genson are able to go and want to go you
Have to honor those wishes so one of the many story lines to watch as we get closer to the deadline again zus gurgenson Kyle lock poo deserve quite a bit of credit for the Sabers being able to pull this one out thank you again I’m Lance isasi of the Buffalo News if you
Ever want to submit a question you ever want to you know reach out of course you can find me emails the best l l y s o wski buff news.com I’m Lance lowski the Buffalo News take care
Zemgus Girgensons, the longest-tenured player on the Sabres, scored the game-winning goal in a win over the defending Stanley Cup champions.
