Ex-Sabres Players Key Game 2 Wins for Carolina and Vegas

The Carolina Hurricanes responded to a disappointing Game 1 performance by rallying in Game 2 and tying their first-round series with the Montreal Canadiens, earning a 3-2 overtime victory in Raleigh on Saturday. After a 12-day layoff appeared to leave Carolina sluggish in the opener, the Hurricanes got a lift from a fourth line built around three former Buffalo Sabres: Eric Robinson, Mark Jankowski and William Carrier.

That trio played a major role in Carolina’s first goal. Robinson opened the scoring 2:33 into the first period, finishing a setup from Carrier. The goal marked Robinson’s second of the playoffs and gave the Hurricanes an early spark. Carrier, who spent three seasons in the Sabres organization with Rochester and Buffalo before being selected by Vegas in the 2017 expansion draft, continued his postseason success after later winning a Stanley Cup with the Golden Knights in 2023.

Jankowski also made a strong contribution, recording two assists on the night. His most important play came in overtime, when he helped create the winning goal for Nikolaj Ehlers at 3:29 to send Carolina home with a split of the first two games. Jankowski previously appeared in 19 games for Buffalo during the 2021-22 season.

The victory was significant for the Hurricanes not only because it erased the sting of their Game 1 loss, but also because it showed depth scoring and veteran role players could provide a difference in a tight playoff series. Carolina’s fourth line was especially effective, giving the team energy, pressure and timely offense at a moment when it needed a response.

Elsewhere in the NHL playoffs, former Sabres captain Jack Eichel continued his strong postseason for the Vegas Golden Knights. Eichel is second in playoff scoring with 18 points and played a central role in Vegas’ 3-1 win over the Colorado Avalanche on Friday. He scored the tying goal and assisted on Ivan Barbashev’s game-winner.

Several current and former Sabres are also competing at the IIHF World Championships in Switzerland. Ryan O’Reilly has produced seven points for Team Canada, including five goals and two assists, ranking second on the team behind top prospect Macklin Celebrini. Finland’s Henri Jokiharju has contributed six points, while Dylan Cozens has scored four goals for Canada in six games.

Konsta Helenius, one of Buffalo’s young prospects, has also made an impression. After replacing injured Sam Carrick, Helenius scored two goals in four games against Montreal and has added an assist in two games for Finland at the tournament.

The postseason and international play continue to highlight the impact of several players with Sabres connections, whether they are helping playoff teams advance or contributing on the world stage.