BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — When the Buffalo Sabres need someone to make a play, forward Zach Benson is constantly the man who steps up. In the Sabres' last 10 games, Benson has eight points and has made crucial plays late in games to help lift his team to victory.
Against the Seattle Kraken on Saturday, Benson picked up an assist on the game-tying goal in the final minutes. The Sabres went on to win in a shootout.
Last week against the Bruins, Benson scored the game-tying goal in the third period while simultaneously drawing a penalty. The Sabres took the lead 33 seconds later. Buffalo lost in overtime but still picked up a precious point. In the game prior, Benson did almost the exact same thing, scoring the go-ahead goal in the third period and earning a point on the road against the Anaheim Ducks.
"I think from the start of the year, I think just this group that we have makes it so fun to come to the rink," Benson said in a 1-on-1 interview with 7 Sports. "When you're winning hockey games, it just makes it that much more fun."
With eight games left in the regular season, the Sabres have a 99-percent chance at making the playoffs, according to MoneyPuck.com. But the Sabres aren’t satisfied. Benson said one of the reasons the Sabres have been successful this year is that they rarely look at the big picture. However, they’re not afraid to discuss it either.
"Everyone knows what we're playing for at the end of the day," Benson said. "We're kind of, you know, we're worried about the New York Islanders right now, and that's one thing we're focused on. So, you know, all that other stuff we don't really bring that up, you know, no need to right now. Everyone knows that's the end goal at the end of the day, and you know our job is to play as well as we can tomorrow."
Benson, who is still just 20 years old, has spent his entire career with the Sabres. He’s already played more than 200 NHL games before his 21st birthday. But this season is unlike anything he’s experienced before.
"It's unbelievable. It truly is. It's super special," Benson added. "You go to a grocery store and you have people coming up to you, and you know, let's go Sabres, keep it rolling, and you just look around the city. I mean, you go to a corner store and they’ve got Sabres shirts everywhere. It's truly special, and you know it's something that you don't want to take for granted."
You can watch the entire conversation with Zach Benson in the video at the top of the page!
