They ended the month of January with a win versus Montreal giving them back-to-back wins for the first time since November.
The healing process continued in February with the team going 7-3-3. The NY Rangers handed them a loss to begin the month (a 1-0 shootout loss,) then had a three game win streak followed by a four game winless streak (0-3-1) and finished strong going 4-0-1.
Thanx to the parity that reigns in the conference, and the fall from grace by Toronto, the Sabres now sit in 12th place, five points back of a playoff spot and they've managed to really tightened things up.
The trade deadline came and went, with the Sabres trading one integral part on the defensive side--Paul Gaustad--but bringing in one part on the offensive side--Cody Hodgson.
They begin the month of March on the west coast tonight in the second game of a back-to-back against San Jose'. All-in-all, the team will play four on the road before returning home March 7 when Carolina visits.
"As Miller goes, so go the Sabres."
As of late, no truer words have been said, unless you'd like to add the defense in there as well.
In the last five games, the team has given up two goals or less in regulation and have two shutouts (vs. Boston, 6-0 and at Anaheim, 2-0.) The play of Miller and his defense has helped the team bring down their goals against average by .20 (which is significant) and helped them move five spots up and into the top-20 gaa--with the same amount of shots against per game.
That's the main reason that they've been able to make some progress in the standings for the offense has remained stagnant.
As the team heads into March, their playoff push will take on a somewhat different dynamic as the team, in effect, traded defensive/faceoff prowess (Gaustad) for more offense/secondary scoring (Hodgson.)
Here's a look at their team stats for March.
Wins:
- October--6 (T-9th)
- November--13 (T-10th)
- December--17 (T-23rd)
- January--21 (24th)
- February--28 (T-22nd)
Points:
- October--12 (12th)
- November--27 (T 15th)
- December--38 (T-23rd)
- January--47 (T-24th)
- February--64 (T-23rd)
Eastern Conference Standing:
- October--7th
- November-7th
- December-11th
- January--T-14th
- February--12th
Northeast Division Standing:
- October--3rd
- November--3rd
- December--4th
- January--T-4th
- February--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)
- February--2.38 (25th)...(Philly, 3.24)
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)
- February--28.9 (19th)...(SJS-34.4)
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)
- February--2.79 (20th)...(STL-1.91)
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)
- February--31.3 (27th)...(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)
- February--0.96 (15th)...(Det-1.52)
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)
- February--16.2 (21st)...(Edm-21.7)
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)...(MTL--89.6)
- February--80.8 (21st)...(MTL- 89.3)
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)
- February--49.6 (19th)...(BOS--54.7
No comments:
Post a Comment