How the Buffalo Sabers fared against the Arizona Coyotes in 2023/2024

Before heading to Utah, the Arizona Coyotes would face the Buffalo Sabers two more times in 2023/2024, marking the final series of the season between the two. This year’s two matchups took place in December, less than a week apart. How did the Sabers fare against the Coyotes?

The first game took place in Buffalo 10 days before Christmas. There was only one goal scored in the period and it was from former Sabers captain Kyle Okposo who gave Buffalo a 1-0 lead early in the first. Much like the Sabres, Arizona tied the game with an early goal in the second period. For the rest of the period, it was all Buffalo.

Eric Robinson, Peyton Krebs and JJ Peterka scored three straight goals and the Sabers entered the final period with a 4-1 lead. The Coyotes pulled within two, but Rasmus Dahlin sealed the deal with an empty-net goal as Buffalo won 5-2.

Five days later, the two teams faced each other in Arizona. After a scoreless first period, the Coyotes scored two goals in the second and third periods. Clayton Keller broke a tie in the second period after a costly error by Buffalo goaltender Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen. Arizona would add one more goal en route to a 2-0 victory.

Looking back, there’s no excuse why the Sabers couldn’t have swept their season series with the Coyotes. There are no easy wins in the NHL, but when you’re a team trying to end the longest playoff drought, you have to find a way and win.

Buffalo has played an inconsistent style of hockey throughout the year, and Game 2 is a perfect example of that. The next time the Sabers see this team, they’ll be in Utah. Depending on what they do in the offseason, Utah could be a little better with the young talent they have.