Sabres slash Mustangs in exhibition action

The Fort Frances Jr. Sabres opened up their exhibition schedule in fine fashion last night, routing the visiting Wisconsin Mustangs 9-3.
Despite a deadlocked 2-2 score after one period, the Sabres took full control in the final 40 minutes—carrying much of the play en route to a landslide victory.
Gabe Capozzi opened the scoring for the Sabres, scoring two consecutive goals before the first period was half over—but the Mustangs would charge back, getting two of their own in less than two minutes late in the period to knot the score going into the intermission.
That score would remain that way until midway through the second when Sabres’ second-year forward Kyle Turgeon would sprawl out to tip a loose puck to Brendan Baumgartner. Baumgartner would make no mistake from there, pounding the puck home to give the Sabres a lead they would never relinquish.
Shortly after, the Sabres’ Dan Smith would break through the defence shorthanded, only to be poke-checked away by Mustangs’ goalie Jeremy Casselberry, but linemate Alessio Tomasetti would promptly pick up the rebound and slide it home for another goal.
The Sabres would get a lift from that shorthanded marker, as Capozzi got his third of the game before the end of the period to make it 5-2.
The third period would be much of the same, with enforcer Logan McDonell scoring a goal of his own on a rebound and then dropping the gloves later in the period. Smith, Mike Wilson, and Dan Usiski would all add goals for the home side, while Wisconsin would get one back but by then the route was in full swing.
The Sabres also announced this week that they have signed goaltender Tanner Sheridan out of B.C. and returning role player Chad Reynolds. Sheridan spent last season with the Kimberley Dynamiters of the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League, posting a 13-5 record with a stingy 2.96 goals against average and a .896 save percentage.
“[He] is here to compete with [David] Novak as one of our goalies,” Sabres’ head coach Wayne Strachan said. “They are the only two we have in camp and will be what we start the year with.”
Reynolds spent last season with the Sabres, tallying 15 points in 35 games while accumulating 123 minutes in penalties. Strachan said Reynolds is a strong penalty killer who plays a physical game and adds invaluable leadership in the dressing room.