(WGR 550) – Thanks to Sunday’s 3-1 win in Seattle over the Kraken, the Sabres turned a 0-3-0 road trip into a 3-3-0 trip coming home. It is Buffalo’s first three-game winning streak of the season, but taking six out of six points still didn’t get them past anyone in the Eastern Conference. They’re still tied for last place with the Columbus Blue Jackets at .500.

In my mind this doesn’t change the fact that this team badly needs a change at the top of the hockey department.

The Sabres turned Sunday’s game into a low chance game and did so by taking care of the puck. They are also giving a goalie a chance to get on a roll as Alex Lyon has played in four straight games going 3-0-0. Before that, he hadn’t won since Oct. 24 against the Toronto Maple Leafs.

In these last four games Lyon has a goals against of 2.01 and a save percentage of .929. On Sunday he was solid making the big save when he had to and stopping 23-of-24 shots. Seattle could only manage three shots in the first period.

Buffalo has also won three straight games because their best players are playing like their best players. Tage Thompson scored on a 2-on-0 break because Alex Tuch forced Vince Dunn into a bad turnover. Thompson now has goals in four straight games and has four goals and three assists for seven points. Tuch’s two assists gives him two goals and two assists for four points in his last three games.

The Sabres knew they were playing a team that is in a rut and never fed them any hope. The loss was Seattle’s eighth in nine games. They protected a 2-1 lead by managing the puck well and by defending as five man units killing rushes before they could become dangerous.

Noah Ostlund returned from Rochester and scored late in the first period getting a very nice pass from Josh Norris on a 2-on-1 rush. In six games this season Norris has two goals and six assists for eight points. In the nine games he’s played as a Sabre he has three goals and seven assists for 10 points. Ostlund was back after playing one game with the Rochester Americans. A new rule this season doesn’t allow players to be recalled until they’ve played one game in the minors.

So the Sabres get a bit of a break until they’re back in action on Thursday to host the Philadelphia Flyers.

Featured Image Photo Credit: Blake Dahlin USA Today Images