HIGHLIGHTS
- Alex Tuch scored hat trick in Sabres’ 4-1 win over Kings on Thursday
- Tuch declared Buffalo is “going for the Cup” after fifth straight victory
- Watch video of Tuch’s bold comments below
Alex Tuch has his eyes on hockey’s ultimate prize.
The Sabres forward made a bold statement after Thursday’s 4-1 win over the LA Kings. Tuch’s fourth career hat trick powered Buffalo to its fifth straight victory, and he made it clear where the team’s mindset is right now.
“We’re coming in with a lot of confidence,” Tuch said. “Everybody’s coming in trying to prove themselves and we’re trying to prove as a team that we’re legit. We’re not just going to go for the playoffs. We’re going for the Cup.“
Check out Tuch’s comments below:
Buffalo News reporter Matthew Bové posted the clip on social media with some context.
“In my time covering Buffalo sports, I don’t know if I’ve ever heard this type of answer come from the Sabres locker room,” Bové wrote.
That’s the thing. Buffalo hasn’t talked like this in over a decade. The Sabres own the NHL’s longest playoff drought at 14 seasons. They last reached the postseason in 2010-11, losing to Philadelphia in seven games.
This year feels different. Buffalo is 21-6-1 since December 1, the best record in the NHL over that stretch. They sit third in the Atlantic Division at 31-17-5 with 67 points, tied with Montreal and Boston for the wild card spots.
Tuch hit the 20-goal mark for the fourth straight season with his hat trick. He now has 22 goals on the year. Alex Lyon stopped a season-high 37 shots to earn his 10th straight win, breaking the franchise record set by Gerry Desjardins in 1976.
The 29-year-old’s night started with some puck luck when his pass bounced off Cody Ceci into the net. He added a second by deflecting a Bowen Byram shot past Darcy Kuemper for a 3-0 lead, then sealed it with an empty-netter.
Tuch doubled down on the Cup talk when discussing the team’s approach.
“We’re not in here just to squeak in,” Tuch said. “We’re in here to try to keep winning. We’re chasing a couple of really good teams in Detroit and Tampa right now. And we know each game’s gonna be playoff-like hockey.”
Buffalo has never won a Stanley Cup. They reached the Final twice, losing to Philadelphia in 1975 and Dallas in 1999. But this core finally looks ready to break through.
The Sabres went on a 10-game winning streak from December to early January, erasing an ugly start to the season. They’ve won 20 of their last 24 games, and the vibes at KeyBank Center are completely different than years past.
Tuch is a pending unrestricted free agent playing in the final year of his contract. He’s reportedly seeking a long-term extension with an AAV around $10-11 million. Extension talks were placed on hold before the season so the team could focus on winning.
That strategy is working. Buffalo hosts Montreal on Saturday, looking to extend the streak to six games.
