How the Buffalo Sabers fared against the Carolina Hurricanes in 2023/2024

The Buffalo Sabers have faced the Carolina Hurricanes three times during the 2023/2024 season. Two of the games took place in Carolina and one in Buffalo. How did the Sabers fare against the Canes? November 7 was the first time these two teams met in Raleigh. Any time Buffalo visits Carolina, it doesn’t bode well for the blue and gold.

Only one goal was scored in the first period as Tony DeAngelo gave Carolina a 1-0 lead. In the second period, the only goal came from Alex Tuch. The Hurricanes regained the lead but a few minutes later, Rasmus Dahlin equalized 2-2. If no more goals were scored, this match would be decided in either overtime or a shootout.

It didn’t last long as Martin Necas scored a minute and a half into overtime, giving Carolina the 3-2 victory. Nearly a month later, they would play Game 2 in Carolina. This game was a disaster for Buffalo as they led 5-0 heading into the third period. The Sabers scored twice in the third but lost the game 6-2.

For the final game, Buffalo hosted the Hurricanes in late February. Just like in the first game, DeAngelo gave Carolina a 1-0 lead. Jeff Skinner haunted his former team by scoring to make it 1-1 on a power play in the second period. It was at the start of the last frame that the game resumed.

After a controversial penalty, Martin Necas scored on the power play awarded to them. It seemed like this was the nail in the coffin for the Sabres. However, this was not the case. Owen Power, returning from injury, leveled the score at 2-2 after a superb pass from Peyton Krebs. No goals were scored in a very entertaining overtime, so a shootout was necessary to determine the winner.

Nobody scored in the shootout until Casey Mittelstadt gave Buffalo the lead, which needed only one more save from Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen to steal the victory. UPL did just that and Buffalo won an exciting game in what was one of the most exciting wins of the season.