A lot has changed since the last time we saw the Tampa Bay Lightning in Buffalo. But one thing hasn't: If the Sabres' rebuild ever wants to get anywhere, this is the organization they have to learn from and eventually compete with.
As in nights like Monday. Craig Anderson held the fort for the first 38 minutes in goal and the Sabres finally pulled away with an eye-popping 5-1 win that has to raise eyebrows around the NHL.
Backed by stellar goaltending from Craig Anderson, the Sabres took the lead on Drake Caggiula’s breakaway goal with 37.8 seconds remaining in the second period and Vinnie Hinostroza delivered hockey's version of a scoop-and-score to help Buffalo pull away for a 5-1 win over Tampa Bay.
For those scoring at home, the Sabres have beaten both Stanley Cup final teams from three months ago by an identical score. Montreal is obviously a mess, but the Lightning are the gold standard.
The two-time Stanley Cup champions are going for the NHL's first three-peat since the Islanders of the 1980s. And they're in Buffalo's division. Drafting, development, scouting, coaching, management, ownership. The Bolts have it all.
"They've set the bar. I think they've made great decisions throughout the organization and, obviously, that starts at the top," Sabres coach Don Granato said before the game. "They're extremely well-coached, I love the way they're coached. They play with a lot of confidence as a result. And, obviously, they've done what they've done. So it's a fun challenge for us. And we welcome it."
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Not much has happened around the Lightning since we had last seen them here 22 months ago, on New Year's Eve of 2019. Other than the onset of a global pandemic, the team spending two months living in a pair of Canadian bubbles and also winning two Stanley Cups.
Pretty routine stuff, right?
Coach Jon Cooper had a good chuckle Monday morning when I presented him that list, but the point was serious: His organization is so consistent with its day-to-day tasks from top to bottom that it's able to withstand any curve that comes its way.
"It's probably helped us get through the last 22 months," Cooper acknowledged. "It was a long time building to seeing the fruits of our labor. So it's obviously been an exciting time. There's been some disruption to our roster a little bit, with some of the guys leaving and then a couple of injuries this year (to Nikita Kucherov and Zach Bogosian). But your habits are the things you have to lean back on as things we've instilled in our team.
"We're not last year's team, and it is a different year. There is a bull's eye on your back and you're going to get everybody's best shots, which we should be embracing that. When adversity hits, which it's hit us a little bit early in the season, you just kind of lean back to what's got us here and what's made us successful."
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Tampa is still finding itself this year. The Bolts are just 2-3-1. They haven't scored first in any of their games or led in regulation in any of them, just a remarkable pair of stats. Brayden Point, Steven Stamkos and Victor Hedman were all minus-4 in this one, too.
"The message (from Granato) is clear is to push back and play with the puck," Anderson said. "That's always been the message from Don from day one. That's a perfect team there over there. That's how they won. They won with puck possession, they've won with holding the puck, supporting the puck. It's a great recipe for success. And it's one that is tried and true. So, for us, it's a good team to watch, a good team to learn from."
Granato was apparently direct and to the point in the second intermission that the Sabres were giving the Bolts too much respect, just like they did with Boston here Friday night. But Drake Caggiula's spectacular individual effort produced the go-ahead goal late in the second period and the Sabres rolled in the third.
"Anytime you’re going to turn the puck over in the NHL, you’re flirting with fire," a glum Cooper said afterward. "Obviously, that goal was a killer for us."
Tampa Bay Lightning coach Jon Cooper watches his team from the bench in the first period.
Full marks to the Sabres for this one, even though the building remained two-thirds empty with an announced crowd of 7,417. The Sabres are 5 for 5 in failing to get even 10,000 in the house for a game this year. Even folks in Ottawa are laughing at them.
But this club doesn't worry about anything outside its locker room. Just what's being said inside and what's taking place on the ice.
"This group, I'm confident in. I have a lot of confidence in it," Granato said. "Those are competitors. We've got a locker room with guys who like to compete, and those are guys you can push. It certainly makes my job easier."
"We know the group we have in here," said Sabres winger Vinnie Hinostroza, who blazed home his first goal of the year. "All hard-working guys, all guys that want to be better than where they're at in their career. No one's been satisfied with what they've done. And I think that goes for the coaches, GM, owners, down to every player on our team. So when you have a group like that, that really wants to win and work hard for each other, it can accomplish a lot."
