It’s that time of the year, a time filled with anticipation and hope for us, the fans. Could this be the season when the Buffalo Sabres finally break through the barriers that have hindered this team and city? The excitement is palpable.

As fans of this team, we’ve all felt the sting of incompetent leadership. But could this be the season where we finally see a change in the [specific area of leadership, e.g., coaching, management, or ownership]? The potential for change in this area is a reason for optimism —a glimmer of hope amid skepticism.

Is General Manager Kevyn Adams truly as bad as he seems, or is Owner Terry Pegula, in his infinite wisdom, being so non-compliant that it has caused such a ripple effect through the organization and, more importantly, the fans? The truth may be a combination of both, but most believe it’s the latter.

Let’s not overlook the fans’ unwavering support. Despite years of setbacks and unfulfilled promises, the average attendance since the 2010-11 season has been a testament to our dedication, roughly 16,000 strong. Your unwavering support is deeply appreciated and is not the issue, as some in management might believe. We stand together, united in our love for the team.

We can all agree on one thing: removing the nasty curse of years of failure has become a tremendous challenge. Changes in coaches and General Managers have proven unable to bring this team the success we’ve all been promised, and which they have long wished for, or so it seems. The fans who pay their hard-earned money to fill the seats, buy merchandise, and are the ones who have suffered the disappointments the most. We share in your disappointment and understand your frustration. Your feelings are valid, and we’re with you in this journey.

The Buffalo Sabres team knew the Colorado Avalanche would be a massive test ahead of them. They stood up to it and came out the other end smelling like a rose. They earned themselves a 4-0 win in arguably the best outing this team has put forth thus far after nine games in.

Sabres starting goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen earned his first shutout in the National Hockey League, stopping all 23 shots the Avs sent. 

JJ Peterka smashed the bagel for the second time in as many games with his fourth of the campaign. Jeff Skinner picked up the lone assist to move him into a tie in points with defenseman Rasmus Dahlin. The Sabres took the 1-0 lead into the locker room. Shots on goal favored Buffalo 11-6.

The Sabres added to their lead when, at 01:39 into the second frame, Casey Mittelstadt roofed his second of the season, with Jeff Skinner getting his second point of the game, and Henri Jokiharju added the helpers.

Tyson Jost scored his first at 08:18 of the period while on the powerplay from Alex Tuch and Owen Power, giving Buffalo a 3-0 lead heading into the break. Buffalo held the advantage in shots after the first two periods, 20-17.

It was a team win for Buffalo over the New York Islanders. Sabres forward Jeff Skinner tallied a goal and an assist, while Casey Mittelstadt finished with a pair of assists. Every point in the standings is crucial if they want to climb out of the cellar of the Atlantic Division.

Skinner scored his 2nd goal of the season at the 16:37 mark of the opening period. Casey Mittelstadt earned the lone assist.

With just under three minutes left in the first, Mattias Samuelsson scored his first of the season from Mittelstadt and Skinner. With no scoring in the second period, the score remained at 2-0. Shots on goal over that time favored Buffalo 31-16.

The Sabres added another to their lead when Dylan Cozens scored the second of the season at the 2:40 mark of the third. Rasmus Dahlin and Jordan Greenway assisted him.

The Islanders finally got on the board with less than two minutes to play in regulation. However, it was a little too late, as the Sabres left the ice with a 3-1 victory.

As Devon Levi had started the first four games, Sabers’ netminder Eric Comrie manned the cage. Comrie played well in his season debut, with 24 saves on 25 shots.

Sabres are back at KeyBank Center on Monday at 7:00 p.m. against the Montreal Canadiens.

The Buffalo Sabres’ inconsistency continued early in the season, with their third loss in four games. This time, it was the Calgary Flames in this see-saw affair.

Seven players scored at least one goal, with only Sabres Dylan Cozens and Rasmus Dahlin finishing with a multi-point night, respectively.

The Flames’ Jonathan Huberdeau opened the scoring at the 0.49 mark with assists from Elias Lindholm and Rasmus Anderson.

The Sabres tied it up less than six minutes later as Erik Johnson fired the wrister past Flames goalie Dan Vladar. Rasmus Dahlin and Kyle Okposo picked up the helpers.

The Flames grabbed the lead once more on a goal by Walker Duehr at the 10:15 mark of the first. Then, just over 4 minutes later, the Sabres’ Tage Thompson scored his first of the season with assists from Dylan Cozens and Rasmus Dahlin to close out a busy first frame. Shots in that period favored Calgary 12-7.

After a quiet second frame, the Calgary Flames reclaimed their third lead when Coleman fired a snapshot past Sabres rookie goalie Devin Levi to make it 3-2 at the 1:52 mark of the third.

Sabres’ JJ Peterka scored his second of the season with help from Dylan Cozens and Henri Jokiharju to keep the roller coaster going.

The Flames tied the game with Adam Ruzicka, scoring what ultimately was the winner of this crazy contest. Final shots on goal favored Calgary 36-27.

The Sabres look to rebound on Saturday night on home ice against the New York Islanders.