BUFFALO - Coming off a disappointing 6-3 loss at Columbus in their season opener Thursday night, the Buffalo Sabres begin the home portion of their NHL schedule Saturday night when they host the woeful Chicago Blackhawks, face off set for a little after 7 p.m.
The Sabres had a tough night on special teams against the Blue Jackets - 0-for-5 on the power play, just 1-of-3 on the penalty kill - and that’s what ultimately cost them the game.
“Some of the puck decisions, 5-on-4, we had a couple good looks, and 5-on-3, there were a couple times I just thought we deferred to the play that wasn’t there,” coach Lindy Ruff said. “Our whole game, really, we tried to be a little bit too fancy. That was 5-on-4 and that was 5-on-5. We had guys in the slot.
We were passing pucks to the perimeter. I think that was a little bit of our demise, also.”
The Blackhawks come to Buffalo in worse shape than the Sabres. They have already lost twice by a cumulative score of 11-2, not much fun for former Sabres Bowen Byram and Jordan Greenway who will be back on the ice at KeyBank Center for the first time since they were traded over the summer.
Sal Maiorana will have live updates before, during and after the game.
Ex-Sabre Bowen Byram out of Hawks lineup
06:13 PM ET, October 3 2026, Sal MaioranaThe defenseman, who was traded to Chicago along with forward Jordan Greenway over the summer in exchange for first- and second-round draft picks plus defenseman Louie Crevier, is not playing.
Coach Jef Blashill said at the Blackhawks morning skate that Byram is not with the team due to a family matter, so he will miss Chicago’s lone game at KeyBank Center this season.
Greenway is playing, and he said after the skate of getting traded by Buffalo, “It’s part of the job, right. Any time you get traded, you’re leaving a group of guys. We did a lot of good things last year, and at first it sucks, but at the same time it’s a new chapter. You play hockey here, it’s the same damn thing, just somewhere else. These guys have a really good group of talent. The organization, obviously, looking to get into the playoffs and win. Definitely similar situations, for sure.”
This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Sabres vs Blackhawks score, updates, key moments
