“A Night To Remember” | Goaltender Colten Ellis Earns Win In NHL Debut With Buffalo Sabres

“A Night To Remember” | Goaltender Colten Ellis Earns Win In NHL Debut With Buffalo Sabres

Before we Oh, we’ve got Colton Ellis. We’re not going to get to that table. Let’s not right now anyway. Let’s talk to the man of the hour. Colton, congratulations. Thanks so much for coming on. Really appreciate it. We got Henrik Lungquist here who wants to ask you a couple questions. Colton and Hank here. Congrats on your first start, first win. You played incredible. Uh I want to know when did you find out that you were getting this start and what went through your head when you knew you were going to play in your first NHL game? Yeah, first off, thank you very much. Um, it’s a good thing I can’t see you guys. I think I’d be a little more nervous to talk to you, but um yeah, I found uh I found out yesterday in the morning coming into the ranks, so uh kind of had the day yesterday to prepare and um get a bunch of my family and everybody in. So, um luckily hadn’t had enough notice for all that. And uh yeah, it was just a lot of excitement. Um, like I said in uh an interview I did earlier, uh is just 25 years to kind of get to this point and it’s kind of realized my dream uh tonight and and get a win and two points for the for the team. It’s uh it’s pretty incredible watching you play tonight. You came out with some massive saves at critical times throughout the game and and especially, you know, watching your speed east to west really stood out to me. when when you think about your game, what what’s your biggest strength as a goalie, you think? Um, I think just being able to read the the play and and anticipate it. And I spent a lot of time um, you know, fixing my stance and trying to play a bit narrower to give me access to go east to west so quick. So, that was kind of a change I made in my game a couple years ago and um, you know, it’s it’s helped me get to this point now. So, just having access to my feet at all times and be able to move east to west uh quickly and um kind of just plays into my athletic my athletic ability. Colton, it’s biz here. Um I have a hard time staying focused on things for a long period of time. I think it took over about 10 minutes for you to get your first shot. What’s going through your head when the play’s not really coming to you in that first 10 minutes where you’re like, I need one here to get into this hockey game. Yeah, I mean the boys came out just playing so well. like I was like, “Geez, I need a shot here at some point just to get me into it a little bit.” So, I think it was 10 minutes. I mean, they were we came out so strong. Um, and you know, they they allowed me to kind of ease into the game, which um you know, I think helped me for sure. Um, being my first one and you know, I can’t say enough about everybody in the locker room putting their body on the line, blocking shots, getting pucks out. You know, it was um it was a great game for everybody. Colton, I want to stay with that theme about being patient because you mentioned uh 25 years to get to this point, but you were drafted back in 2019, a third round pick. You were a big prospect. Uh you wait a long time for that NHL debut. Uh how are you able to stay positive and patient throughout that process to get to this night? Yeah, it’s definitely been a long road, but um at the same time, everybody’s path is different. You know, one of the first things Dave Alexander and St. Louis told me was and and Dan Stewart was just play where your feet are. Um, you know, it’s not everybody’s path is, you know, you get drafted, you play in the minors, and then boom, you’re right in the NHL. So, um, that kind of message really stuck with me. And I think after my first two-year pro, two years pro, um, I kind of rediscovered the passion for the game. I think I was I was treating it a little too much as a job and you know getting down on myself a little too much. But um just realizing that this is what I want to do and and something I’m very passionate about kind of just gave me extra fuel and um allowed me to kind of get to where I am today. Colton, last one for me here. Uh your folks and your family in the building, just how important and special was that to you to have them in attendance to watch you get your first W and how much have they meant to you throughout the course of you getting me to where you are now? I mean, I wouldn’t be here um without any of them, obviously. I think they’re yelling right now. Um but uh yeah, there’s there’s uh yeah, there’s so many people like that helped me get to this point and um you know, everybody’s played such an instrumental role and has always been so supportive. Um, yeah, I was I was actually pretty emotional kind of before the game, before I got to the rank, just kind of thinking about um all the sacrifices they’ve made to to kind of get me where I am today. So, um definitely couldn’t have done it with uh with all my family and and and everybody here tonight. Uh they’re yelling at you because they want to go tear that town up right now with you. Hey, Colton. Hey, listen, man. Congratulations. Awesome game. Thanks so much for coming on with us. Congrats. Congrats, Colton. Yeah. Thank you guys very much. Thanks for having me.

Buffalo Sabres rookie goaltender Colten Ellis joined the TNT crew after winning his NHL debut against the Detroit Red Wings. Topics included the journey to his first start, rediscovering his passion for the game, his family, and more.

Subscribe to the Buffalo Sabres YT Channel: https://bit.ly/2G1G8eT
For More Sabres Action: https://bufsabres.co/2XAYg5m

#BuffaloSabres #Sabres #NHL

For more Sabres action: Sabres.com
Follow us on X: twitter.com/BuffaloSabres
Follow us on TikTok: https://bufsabres.co/TikTok
Follow us on Instagram: Instagram.com/buffalosabres
Like us on Facebook: facebook.com/buffalosabres