Could they possibly be worse than the 4-7-3 mark they had in December? Nope. But pretty damn close. They still only managed four wins, matched their seven losses, and had they played two more games, there's the possibility that they would have.
During the month, the team extended a road losing streak that reached a franchise-worse 12 games, stopped by a 2-1 shootout win in New Jersey before the All-Star break. They bookended the break with a win at Montreal last night for their first 2-game win streak since the Lucic incident. Of note, since that hit on Miller the team has gone 11-19-5.
With the two-game streak to end January, Buffalo seems to have stopped the bleeding, although they jump back into it tonight vs. Eastern Conference leaders, the New York Rangers. A stiff test, to say the least, but a team that the Sabres have had some success with in the past.
Every team stat trended downward last month, most notably scoring. The team scored 18 goals in 12 games, were shut out twice and were held to one goal three times. Although there was a slight decline in shots/game, goals/game plummeted from an already poor 2.58 (17th in the league) to 2.38 (26th.)
Goaltending couldn't bail the team out as their goals against average dropped once again. Injuries on defense decimated the club and there could be a case that Miller was suffering the affects of the Lucic hit up until the last two weeks of January when it seems as if he got his reflexes back. He gave up one goal the last two games, albeit vs. teams without the offensive firepower of a Philadelphia, Chicago or Vancouver.
February is a crucial month for the team with the trade deadline being the 27th. The team looks to be sellers come then, the first time in 10 years, unless they put together an impressive run. They sit nine points out of a playoff spot with five teams to jump.
Impossible? By no means. Improbable? Not really. Long-shot? I'd say so. Every team in that mix has flaws, just like the Sabres...
but...
Buffalo will need to go on a run without their leading goal scorer, Thomas Vanek. Vanek suffered an "upper body injury" after a collision. He will miss some time, maybe weeks.
Year to date team stats:
Wins:
- October--6 (T-9th)
- November--13 (T-10th)
- December--17 (T-23rd)
- January--21 (24th)
Points:
- October--12 (12th)
- November--27 (T 15th)
- December--38 (T-23rd)
- January--47 (T-24th)
Eastern Conference Standing:
- October--7th
- November-7th
- December-11th
- January--T-14th
Northeast Division Standing:
- October--3rd
- November--3rd
- December--4th
- January--T-4th
Goals/Game:
- October--2.90 (8th)...(#1, Wash-3.78)
- November--2.75 (15th)...(Philly, 3.48)
- December--2.58 (T-17th)...(Bos, 3.43)
- January--2.38 (26th)...(Bos, 3.54)
Shots/Game:
- October--29.4 (18th)...(#1, Det-35.7)
- November--30.9 (10th)...(Det-34.9)
- December--29.0 (T-19th)...(SJS-34.6)
- January--28.8 (20th)..(SJS-34.7)
Goals Against/Game:
- October--2.20 (T-5th)...(#1, Edm-1.46)
- November--2.58 (T-14th)...(STL, 2.00)
- December--2.90 (23rd)...Bos, 1.91)
- January--2.96 (25th)...(STL, 1.96)
Shots Against/Game:
- October--31.9 (22nd)...(#1, STL-25.9)
- November--31.1 (21st)...(STL-25.6)
- December--31.3 (T-24th)...(STL-26.5)
- January--31.3 (26th)...(STL-26.2)
Five-On-Five GF/GA Ratio:
- October--1.43 (2nd)...(#1, Wash-1.64)
- November--1.12 (T-7th)...(Bos-1.71)
- December--0.93 (20th)...(Bos-1.83)
- January--0.87 (22nd)...(Bos-1.72)
Powerplay:
- October--21.9% (8th)...(#1, Ott-31.0%)
- November--18.4 (10th)...(Van-24.8)
- December--19.0 (9th)...(Van-24.2)
- January--17.8 (T-16th)...(Van-23.0)
Penalty Kill:
- October--91.9% (2nd)...(#1, Pit-92.3%)
- November--87.6 (5th)...(NJD--94.4)
- December--84.2 (9th)...(NJD--91.2)
- January--81.4 (20th)...(Mon--89.6)
Faceoffs:
- October--50.8% (11th)...(#1, Col-54.7%)
- November--51.3 (T-9th)...(Bos-55.0)
- December--51.0 (11th)...(Bos--55.4)
- January--49.6 (T-18th)...(Bos--55)
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