Skinner's Hat Trick Powers Sabres to Victory Over Kraken

SEATTLE, WA - The Buffalo Sabres entered Monday night’s matchup against the Seattle Kraken knowing that every game from here on out could make or break their playoff aspirations. Sitting just outside the Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference, the Sabres needed to bounce back from a disappointing loss to the Detroit Red Wings and keep their postseason dreams alive.

And bounce back they did, thanks to a hat trick performance from veteran winger Jeff Skinner that powered the Sabres to an emphatic 6-2 victory over the Kraken at Climate Pledge Arena.

The game got off to an inauspicious start for Buffalo, as Jordan Eberle scored just 24 seconds in to give Seattle an early 1-0 lead. But the Sabres responded swiftly and decisively, with Tage Thompson tying the game less than a minute later and Skinner following up with the first of his three goals to put Buffalo ahead.

“We did a great job of letting [the Detroit loss] go,” said Thompson after the game. “We knew we couldn’t dwell on it and had to shift our focus to this game against Seattle.”

Alex Tuch also scored in the first period as the Sabres built a 3-1 lead, chasing Kraken starting goaltender Joey Daccord from the net. While Seattle managed to cut the deficit to 3-2, Buffalo refused to relinquish control of the contest.

In the second period, defenseman Owen Power and Skinner scored 42 seconds apart to extend the Sabres’ advantage to 5-2. Skinner completed his hat trick with an empty-netter late in the third, cementing Buffalo’s crucial victory.

“He’s deadly,” Thompson said of Skinner. “When he’s on, he can score, create plays, and that’s a big burst of life for us. Especially, we’ve been struggling to score, so when he gets hot, he’s hot.”

The win kept the Sabres within striking distance of the final Wild Card spot in the East, now just four points behind the Washington Capitals with two head-to-head matchups remaining between the teams. While their playoff fate remains uncertain, Monday’s performance showcased Buffalo’s resilience and determination to extend their season as long as possible.

“We have a big win, and we can’t ride the high,” Thompson cautioned. “You’ve got to get back to even keel and make sure we’re ready to go [against Vancouver].”

With the victory, the Sabres improved their record to 35-31-7 on the season. They’ll look to build on the momentum when they face the Canucks in Vancouver on Tuesday night.