The Buffalo Sabres lost 3-1 to the Colorado Avalanche on Monday at KeyBank Center, marking their third consecutive defeat to start the 2025-26 NHL season.
“It’s not good enough,” said Sabres captain Rasmus Dahlin. “Better start today, worse ending.”
After a loss in Boston on Saturday, the team had emphasized starting games more competitively. Against Colorado, they managed 13 shots in the first period and tied the game with Tage Thompson’s first goal of the season. However, goals from Cale Makar and Nathan MacKinnon in the second period put Buffalo behind. The Avalanche outshot the Sabres 15-4 in the third period.
“We were getting pucks to the net, bodies to the net, had a lot of chances,” Thompson said. “And then they made a push, and I felt like we didn’t have as much extended O-zone (time) after that where we could really even get to the net, because we didn’t have the puck. (We’ve) just got to find a way to be better.”
Coach Lindy Ruff credited Buffalo’s strong opening period to effective breakouts but noted missed opportunities early on; according to Natural Stat Trick, Buffalo converted only one of six high-danger scoring chances in the first period. In contrast, Colorado generated more offense as the game progressed, with high-danger chances favoring them 10-5 over the final two periods.
“I don’t think we got up ice enough to help our forwards out,” Ruff said. “[Colorado] broke it out quicker, and some of our execution leaving the zone wasn’t near as clean as it was in the first two periods.
“… First period, 25 to 30-second shift we spent in their zone, they chip it out, we went at them while they were changing. They flipped the table on us in the third period, and that hurt us.”
Despite increased traffic near goaltender Scott Wedgewood and several promising opportunities spoiled by bouncing pucks or wide shots, Buffalo has scored just twice across three games.
“We’ve got bodies that need to produce for us, for sure; a little bit of squeezing (the sticks) right now, but I think there was some good signs in that game,” Ruff said.
“We have to work harder, we have to keep it more simple, we’ve got to score more, our power play has to get better,” Dahlin added.
Injuries and unfavorable bounces have affected Buffalo early this season. With most of their schedule remaining—79 games—the team aims to move past these initial setbacks.
“Obviously this sucks; no one wants to lose their first three games,” Thompson said. “But we’ve got an opportunity Wednesday to turn it around… Can’t keep looking back – last three games, last four seasons, last 14 seasons… And for us, that’s Ottawa.”
Buffalo’s power play continued its struggles despite changes before Monday’s game: Jiri Kulich and Jack Quinn joined Alex Tuch among new units. The Sabres went 0-for-3 on power plays against Colorado and are now scoreless through eleven attempts this season.
“We didn’t handle their pressure well again,” Ruff said regarding special teams play. “You’ve got to get that bumper release… there was a few times we didn’t get away from it quick enough.”
“Have a plan, know where the out is – that solves a lot of problems,” Dahlin added.
Next up for Buffalo is a home game against Ottawa on Wednesday at KeyBank Center.
Nathan MacKinnon was highlighted pregame by Ruff as an ongoing threat: “There’s not a game that he doesn’t create something; he’s that good a player… You have to limit his opportunities knowing that he can create some those opportunities on his own.” MacKinnon scored twice Monday and now has four goals and eight points through four games this season.
Defenseman Mattias Samuelsson missed Monday’s contest due to injury but may return Wednesday according to Ruff. Ryan Johnson replaced him in the lineup and contributed defensively during his time on ice.
