One of Owen Power’s welcome-to-the-NHL moments Thursday night in KeyBank Center helped the No. 1 draft choice earn a milestone and made the crowd of 11,565 roar in approval.
The other will be an important lesson in Power’s introduction to the best league in the world. Both will only motivate the 19-year-old defenseman as he transitions from a dominant college player into a rookie learning how to handle the ebbs and flows of defending elite players in the NHL.
The Buffalo Sabres’ 6-2 loss to the St. Louis Blues was the product of missed opportunities and a few crucial mistakes against a Stanley Cup contender, but this game will be remembered as Power’s first in Buffalo.
"I think this was another step for me to get more comfortable in the league," said Power. "I thought it was a good night, but I thought I could do a lot better."
Only two days after an impressive NHL debut in Toronto, Power recorded his first career NHL point when the 6-foot-6 prospect earned a primary assist by passing to the slot to set up Alex Tuch’s goal in the second period against St. Louis.
Everyone on the Sabres' bench was overjoyed at the realization that Power achieved his first point. The puck was fetched from the net as a souvenir and Tuch urged Power to lead the handshake line to the bench.
"Everytime he was out there, it put a smile on my face," said Sabres winger Rasmus Asplund. "It was fun to watch. I haven’t seen him play much and these two games, I think he’s been looking great. He gets a couple games here now, it’s going to be really exciting to have him here next year."
There were several notable plays in which Power showcased his poise with the puck and his mature game defensively. Even against an imposing club that ranked sixth in the league in regulation wins (39), Power won puck battles and killed Blues possessions by cutting off an opponent’s progress with the puck.
Under trying circumstances in Tuesday's game against the Leafs, Power showed why he was selected first overall by Buffalo in the 2021 NHL Draft.
Power finished with 23:10 of ice time, three shots on goal and a blocked shot. He was also credited with three takeaways. The Sabres had 59.52% of the shot attempts when Power was on the ice at 5-on-5. His 20:13 of ice time in those situations led the team.
Vladimir Tarasenko, a Russian winger with 13 points in his last seven games, scored his 30th, 31st and 32nd goals of the season to help the Blues (44-20-10) pull away with the win. His second was a remarkable display of skill that will be an important learning tool for Power in his acclimation to the NHL.
Tarasenko, who finished with a career-high five points, received a precise down-ice breakout pass from defenseman Torey Krug near the right boards with Power closing in. The Sabres rookie was skating backward preparing to eliminate the play when Tarasenko quickly tucked the puck toward the middle of the ice, forcing Power out of position and creating a breakaway that led to a 4-2 Blues lead with 7:15 remaining in the second period. Tarasenko added an empty-netter to complete the hat trick.
Even the most experienced, accomplished defensemen in the NHL have been on the wrong end of Tarasenko’s plays with the puck. But it’s the type of situation and play that Power could only experience in the NHL. No one in college hockey can make such a dynamic move to create space.
"There were plenty of moments that were challenging to him, but that’s what he needs," said coach Don Granato. "He figures things out really fast, so what we’ve talked about: size, speed and skill. It' tough to gauge because you haven’t played at this level yet, but he’s adjusting rapidly. He’s got skill, he’s got talent, he’s got intelligence. I was happy with it."
David Perron, Brandon Saad and Pavel Buchnevich also scored for St. Louis, which has won seven straight games.
There were no easy assignments for Power in his second NHL game. With Mattias Samuelsson out because of injury, Power received more responsibility, including on the penalty kill, and additional shifts with Rasmus Dahlin, although the bulk of Power’s ice time was with Henri Jokiharju.
On the first penalty kill of the game, Power cleared the puck out of his defensive zone, set up Vinnie Hinostroza for a scoring chance and fired a slap shot that goalie Jordan Binnington steered away with his blocker. Power was more active in the offensive zone in his second game, giving Buffalo an additional scoring threat.
"Every game I’m going to get better and more comfortable," said Power. "This is a step in the right direction for me."
Asplund gave the Sabres a 1-0 lead shortly after Power's short-handed work, but penalty trouble allowed St. Louis to score two goals in a span of 41 seconds between the first and second periods. Power was in the penalty box for cross-checking Jordan Kyrou when the Blues made it 2-1 with Saad’s goal from the slot.
The Sabres (27-38-11) failed to capitalize on opportunities, which is difficult to overcome against a top defensive team. In the second period alone, Jeff Skinner couldn’t finish a backhanded chance on a drive to the net, Peyton Krebs missed the net on a partial breakaway and Will Butcher hit the post from the point.
The Sabres finished with 37 shots on goal, a 69-41 edge in shot attempts and received 22 saves from Craig Anderson.
Power’s milestone assist drew the score even and he was on the ice for four of Buffalo’s seven goals between Tuesday in Toronto and the loss to St. Louis. But Tarasenko scored three goals and Buchnevich added another off Tuch’s skate to secure the win for the Blues.
Following the play on Tarasenko's second goal, Power quickly adjusted and finished the night with more exceptional plays. Mistakes are inevitable when playing defense in the NHL. But Power is determined to learn from every shift on the ice.
"I think when you play against these top players, you’re able to learn a lot and you’re obviously going to make a lot of mistakes," Power said. "Through that, you’re able to learn from it and hopefully not do it again."
Here are other observations from the game:
1. Still strong
The Sabres finished with 34 scoring chances at 5-on-5 compared to 18 for St. Louis, according to NaturalStatTrick.com. They tested Binnington with 30 shots on goal over the final 40 minutes of the game, including 17 in the third period. Buffalo played well enough to win this game, particularly at even strength.
"It’s one of those games that you lose and you actually feel bad for your guys," Granato said.
2. Heads-up play
Average ice time per game and perceived difficulty of matchups will likely prevent Asplund from being a finalist for the Selke Trophy, but he would be deserving. The 24-year-old rates as one of the top defensive forwards in the NHL this season, according to Evolving-Hockey.com. He has developed into a shutdown player for the Sabres and has the skill to be a double-digit goal scorer.
We saw his offensive instincts in the first period when Asplund tipped Jokiharju’s point shot for a 1-0 Sabres lead at 12:20 into the game.
3. Next step
Granato will join Jeff Blashill of the Detroit Red Wings and Mike Hastings of Minnesota State on David Quinn’s coaching staff for Team USA at the IIHF World Championship, which is scheduled for May 13-29 in Finland. This will be Granato’s third time as an assistant coach at the tournament. A native of Downers Grove, Ill., won a bronze medal as part of Team USA’s staff in 2014.
4. Next
The Sabres will host the Philadelphia Flyers on Saturday night in KeyBank Center at 7 p.m.
