Zach Benson grabbed the microphone on Sunday and said something that doesn’t often get said during a playoff series.
The Buffalo Sabres player expressed his gratitude towards Mike Matheson for showing good sportsmanship during Game 2 of their second-round series against Montreal.
“It’s a tough battle out there, but it was really nice of him to protect my head when the skates were flying. ” This is what Benson said according to Priyanta Emrith on X.
A young player from the Sabres is giving a shout-out to a defender from the Canadiens. This happened in a series that’s been quite aggressive. After the Xhekaj punch, the Norris hold, and the Danault no-goal.
The Buffalo winger has been the leading scorer on the Sabres in this round. The 20-year-old has racked up 6 points over 8 playoff games, scoring 3 goals and having a plus-4 rating.
On the other hand, Matheson has different stats. The 32-year-old defender has a defensive job and earns 4.875 million a year. He scored 7 goals and made 30 assists in 78 regular season games.
St-Louis and Ruff get ready for Game 4 with mutual respect. Martin St-Louis has formed the Canadiens with strong rules and accountability. Matheson is an experienced player who adds to that team identity quietly.
Benson’s words indicate that both teams understand what’s at stake.
Hockey players usually don’t compliment players from the other team in the middle of a series unless they genuinely mean it.
Lindy Ruff hasn’t told his young winger to hold back.
The Sabres need all the contributions Benson can offer, and he’s playing his best hockey since joining the NHL.
The regular season stats show this too. The Buffalo winger scored 13 goals, made 30 assists, and totaled 43 points in 65 games with a plus-27 rating.
His contract is for 950 thousand, and his performance is definitely worth more than that.
The matchup is really close. Buffalo took Game 1 at home with a score of 4-2. But in Game 2, Montreal turned things around and won 5-1 on the same ice.
Game 4 is happening on Tuesday at Bell Centre. The weather isn’t getting cooler.
There were two big moments from Game 3 that everyone talked about, and the Sabres have to win on the Canadiens’ home ground or the situation may get bad.
Benson’s statement will probably be forgotten by tomorrow. But the list of things to address won’t be.
Hockey rivalries are usually highlighted by the loud actions and events. But the quieter moments, like what Matheson showed, help keep the team respectful when the game gets rough.
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