BUFFALO, N.Y. — The Sabres found their replacement for forward Sam Reinhart on the power play, if he misses more games with an upper body injury.
Rasmus Ristolainen had a monster game for the Sabres and was a part of all three goals.
But the defenseman’s third period goal to tie the game at 3 wasn’t enough, with the Sabres falling 5-3 to the Devils, splitting their weekend series at a game apiece.
"We didn't play our A game, that's for sure, and we didn't start well,” Ristolainen said.
"I felt like they won more one-on-one battles, and end of the third, we were for sure the team who looked more tired out there."
The Devils bookended a strong finish with a fast start, scoring in the first 20 seconds of the game, but Ristolainen looked fresh. He scored on the power play and is providing a spark as a net-front presence, improving that top unit’s scoring opportunities.
"It's something that we had a lot of success with too, at time. It's a curveball that changes the mix. He has so much fun with that. [Ristolainen's] in outstanding form so far this season,” Sabres coach Ralph Krueger said. ”It's much deserved, the extra ice time he's getting, especially in a role like that."
Where Reinhart hasn’t been replaced is on the Sabres’ top line, with Head Coach Ralph Krueger shuffling things around Jack Eichel again on Sunday against the Devils.
After missing Reinhart for two games, the Sabres haven’t figured out how to replace the right winger on that line, which seemed to be meshing well with Eichel and Taylor Hall, before Reinhart’s injury.
"With Sam out, trying to mix up and trying to get the 5-on-5 game going. Even with the win yesterday, we weren’t pleased with all aspects of the 5-on-5 game,” Krueger said.
Between Saturday and Sunday's games against the Devils, Tage Thompson, Victor Olofsson, Taylor Hall and Jeff Skinner all saw time on the top line with Eichel. That top line that came up empty in both of those games.
“Throwing Taylor and Jack together here and there, you like to throw the opposition off-balance,” Krueger said. “They had a lot of o-zone time, they had a lot of opportunities. They just haven't been able to connect for that final product - the goals."
Krueger said Sunday, Reinhart is still listed as day-to-day with his injury, so it is uncertain if he will travel with the team to Long Island to play the New York Islanders on Tuesday and Thursday.