The Buffalo Sabres are in the middle of a historic run, and Rasmus Dahlin made it clear what is driving their success.
The star defenseman, who is signed on an $88 million contract, pointed to one factor above all else, and that is their elite goaltending.
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Buffalo improved to 32-6-2 over its last 40 games, marking the best stretch in the NHL since the 1995-96 Detroit Red Wings. The surge continued with back-to-back shutout wins, beating the Vegas Golden Knights 2-0 and the San Jose Sharks 5-0.
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After the latest win, Dahlin praised the crease.
“Without that guy [goalies], the game would have looked very different,” Dahlin said. “But we have two unbelievable goalies. [Lyon] He’s not; he can’t be worse than [Luukkonen], it seems like. So he also had to shut it – shut it up.
“But no, unbelievable. It’s – they are a huge part of our success.”
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Clearly, the Sabres consistency has become a major reason behind the team’s rise.
Alex Lyon delivered a 23-save shutout against San Jose, extending his winning streak to six games. During that span, he allowed just 11 goals and now holds 20 wins on the season. His calm presence has helped stabilize the Sabres during this dominant stretch.
At the same time, Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen has matched that level. He recorded a 28-save shutout against Vegas and has won five of his last six starts. The duo has formed one of the league’s most effective rotations, giving Buffalo confidence every night.
Buffalo Sabres goaltender Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen (1) and defenseman Rasmus Dahlin (26)
Meanwhile, Dahlin continues to lead on the blue line while benefiting from that support. The Sabres (43-20-6) now sit atop the Atlantic Division with one of the league’s most balanced rosters.
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With strong offense, steady defense, and red-hot goaltending, Buffalo has turned into a serious contender this season.
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