Sabres show potential in memorable season finale, send RJ off with OT win | Buffalo

There were audible gasps in response to the action on the ice and emotional applause to pay tribute to legendary broadcaster Rick Jeanneret. They gathered to bid farewell to the man who narrated some of the greatest triumphs in franchise history, but they also filled the building to watch a pesky Sabres team that’s inspired hope for a fan base that’s tired of tumult and disappointment.

The come-from-behind 3-2 overtime win over the Chicago Blackhawks in front of 16,505 fans Friday night to cap the 82-game 2021-22 season was a snapshot of all that’s changed on and off the ice for the Sabres since the club gathered for training camp back in September. They tied the score twice to force overtime, and Casey Mittelstadt scored the winning goal to clinch a 32-39-11 season record.

“Oh boy, I don’t even know what was going through my head,” Mittelstadt beamed. “It was a good way to end the year. Obviously, there have been some ups and downs for everyone. … It was a great way to end it for RJ.”

On the ice, there were highlight-reel, tension-inducing plays by the foundational players who are the new faces of the franchise. Tage Thompson, a 24-year-old who switched to center in camp, scored his team-leading 38th goal of the season to tie the score 1-1 in the third period on a cross-ice pass from a rejuvenated Jeff Skinner.

Power, only 19 years old and eight games into his NHL career, scored his second goal on a shot through traffic to tie it again with 5:38 remaining in regulation. And Mittlestadt finished the job in overtime on a rebound created by Dylan Cozens.

The Sabres outshot the Blackhawks 19-4 in the third period and overtime.

“I think we just fed off the crowd and each other on the bench,” said Thompson. “I don’t think there was anyone that didn’t think that we were going to comeback and win that. I think the reason is the character we have in our group.”

Power and fellow defenseman Rasmus Dahlin, drafted first overall in 2021 and 2018, respectively, displayed their wizardry with the puck and mature play around their own net. The pair, along with Mattias Samuelsson and Henri Jokiharju, gives Buffalo a formidable top four on the blue line for their quest to reach the playoffs.

Alex Tuch, a Syracuse-area native acquired in the blockbuster trade that sent Jack Eichel to Vegas, energized his teammates and the crowd with relentless play with and without the puck. The lineup was filled with players who are expected to be on the Sabres for years to come, including recent first-round draft choices Cozens, Mittelstadt and Peyton Krebs, who also arrived in the Eichel deal.

Of the 16 skaters in the Sabres’ lineup, only three are pending unrestricted free agents: Vinnie Hinostroza, Mark Pysyk and John Hayden. It’s possible all three could be back with the club next season. Ten in the lineup were under the age of 25. And the Sabres’ progress across the past two months illustrates that the young core’s potential is far from reached.

Even through a rigorous schedule, the Sabres’ .611 points percentage since March 2 ranked 13th entering Friday. Overall, Buffalo’s points percentage saw its biggest improvement since…