After months of not knowing if there would be an NHL season in 2021, the Buffalo Sabres kicked off their 56-game campaign on Thursday night at the KeyBank Center. And the Sabres lit up the offensive lamp with four goals, but it was not enough in a 6-4 loss to the Washington Capitals.
There were some defensive miscues, as two turnovers in the Buffalo defensive zone led to two Capitals goals. But it was back and forth all night, as the Sabres cut the Capitals lead to 5-4 late in the fourth until an empty netter sealed the win for Washington.
Buffalo's offensive stat sheet was spread out, as four different Sabres scored their first goals of the season (Taylor Hall, Tobias Rieder, Victor Olofsson, Jake McCabe). Jack Eichel also had two assists for Buffalo.
But there is some cause for concern, as newly signed Taylor Hall left the game late in the third period after a blow to the chin on a hit by Nic Dowd. He never returned to the ice and head coach Ralph Krueger said postgame that it will be something the team will monitor before Friday's rematch with Washington at 7:00 p.m.
