Published by hockeybuzz.com, 5-9-2019
It's not fun for Buffalo to have the longest playoff drought in the NHL especially when the Carolina Hurricanes, the previous holder of that dubious distinction, is in the Eastern Conference Final. Nor is it a joy seeing a long-time rival like the Boston Bruins face off against the 'Canes in the East. If you think that's tough, add in two teams out west battling in the Conference Finals who each traded for a player that was once thought to be part of the future top-six in Buffalo and Western New York hockey fans might be a little salty. The San Jose Sharks traded for winger Evander Kane and the St. Louis Blues traded for center Ryan O'Reilly and both team will battle it out for a spot in the Stanley Cup Finals.
Such is the world of the Buffalo Sabres and a playoff drought of eight seasons.
What may be lost in all the Buffaloathing over those four teams left standing is that this has been a helluva playoffs for the league. Both conference champions were ousted and all four division winners left in the first round, something that's never happened in the NHL before and the President's Trophy-winning Tampa Bay Lightning were swept out of the playoffs, which is also a first. In addition the two-time defending Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh Penguins got the broom as the NY Islanders, led by former Sabre (and a supposed key for Buffalo going forward,) swept them in four games.
In a nod to parity, getting hot at the right time and coaching, half the of the second round was made up of all four wild card team with Carolina taking the next step. Into the third round we see the Blues (No. 1,) Hurricanes (No. 3,) and Bruins (No. 4) as three of the hottest teams in the league since January 1st while the Sharks came in at No. 8. And while the League is still predicated on speed these days, the Islanders made it to Round-2 with a staunch defensive system under head coach Barry Trotz and the Blues with coach Craig Berube played lockdown hockey to take the next step. Despite plenty of speed and one of the best top-lines in the league, Boston head coach Bruce Cassidy had his club playing a modern, tempered version of Bruins, bad-boy hockey and when they got the lead, which was often in the second round, they tightened up their defense and relied upon goalie Tukka Rask to come up big.
Showing posts with label 2018-19 Season. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 2018-19 Season. Show all posts
Friday, May 10, 2019
Monday, April 8, 2019
Lack of results doomed Phil Housley. Botterill now has his butt on the line.
Published by hockeybuzz.com, 4-7-2019
The Buffalo Sabres surprised Sabreland this afternoon when they announced the firing of head coach Phil Housley. It was surprising in that the general manager wasn't thinking about a coaching change back in February when he was asked about it and it's something Sabres owner Terry Pegula reiterated some two weeks ago. They even had a 2:30 time-slot tomorrow for an end-of-season presser with Housley.
However, Buffalo GM Botterill pulled the plug on Housley only two years into his tenure in a decision that he said was exclusively his own. Botterill told the gathered media today that he "had discussions with [the owners]" about his thought process concerning his head coach but that he alone made the decision and went to ownership this morning with his recommendation. "They accepted it,"
he said.
A lot has been said about owners Terry and Kim Pegula lately (this blogger included) but they should be applauded for allowing their general manager, who is their defacto director of hockey operations, to make this decision. It couldn't have been easy as the Pegulas now look to be paying two coaches (Dan Bylsma and Housley) not to coach next year while also paying their new coach to be behind the bench. In addition to the financial aspect of the situation there's also the perception of how the club is being run. Since Terry bought the team in February, 2011 the Sabres are on their third team president, hired and lost a VP of Hockey Operations in a matter of months, are on their third GM and will be hiring their sixth head coach. Not exactly a track record of success and stability.
But what's a team to do when the results aren't there?
The Buffalo Sabres surprised Sabreland this afternoon when they announced the firing of head coach Phil Housley. It was surprising in that the general manager wasn't thinking about a coaching change back in February when he was asked about it and it's something Sabres owner Terry Pegula reiterated some two weeks ago. They even had a 2:30 time-slot tomorrow for an end-of-season presser with Housley.
However, Buffalo GM Botterill pulled the plug on Housley only two years into his tenure in a decision that he said was exclusively his own. Botterill told the gathered media today that he "had discussions with [the owners]" about his thought process concerning his head coach but that he alone made the decision and went to ownership this morning with his recommendation. "They accepted it,"
he said.
A lot has been said about owners Terry and Kim Pegula lately (this blogger included) but they should be applauded for allowing their general manager, who is their defacto director of hockey operations, to make this decision. It couldn't have been easy as the Pegulas now look to be paying two coaches (Dan Bylsma and Housley) not to coach next year while also paying their new coach to be behind the bench. In addition to the financial aspect of the situation there's also the perception of how the club is being run. Since Terry bought the team in February, 2011 the Sabres are on their third team president, hired and lost a VP of Hockey Operations in a matter of months, are on their third GM and will be hiring their sixth head coach. Not exactly a track record of success and stability.
But what's a team to do when the results aren't there?
Sunday, April 7, 2019
Mutual Appreciation Society (and win) brings good vibes to KeyBank Center, but...
Published by hockeybuzz.com, 4-5-2019
For Buffalo Sabres fans who emotionally detached themselves from the team during a precipitous drop the last four months, last night's final game at KeyBank Center was a feel-good opportunity and their team delivered. While the diehards took in Game-41 of their Sabres home schedule pounding down (relatively) cheap grub, playing with their Jack Eichel bobblehead and/or hoping to get in on one of the many prizes being given away, the players were busy delivering a 5-2 win over the Ottawa Senators. They appreciated the win and the Sabres on the ice appreciated the support.
Which is rather fitting because, after all, it was Fan Appreciation Night in Buffalo and an announced crowd of 17,998 cheered their team on while the Sabres reciprocated with a fun-filled win. The five goals scored by Buffalo came from five different players in five different ways:
--first-year North American pro (because he's not considered a rookie) Victor Olofsson used a one-timer on a feed from Rasmus Ristolainen to blast one in for the first goal.
--Kyle Okposo was in the right place at the right time while driving to the net to pot a carom off of a Sens player
--Eichel put on a dizzying display of puck-control before sending a tape-to-tape, no-look backhand pass from behind the net to Sam Reinhart who was all alone in the slot
--Captain Jack got in on the scoring himself when he circled from around the net to bury a rebound left in the crease
--and finally, Jason Pominville sent a harmless-looking shot on goal from along the half-wall that deflected off of an Ottawa defender and into the net.
For Buffalo Sabres fans who emotionally detached themselves from the team during a precipitous drop the last four months, last night's final game at KeyBank Center was a feel-good opportunity and their team delivered. While the diehards took in Game-41 of their Sabres home schedule pounding down (relatively) cheap grub, playing with their Jack Eichel bobblehead and/or hoping to get in on one of the many prizes being given away, the players were busy delivering a 5-2 win over the Ottawa Senators. They appreciated the win and the Sabres on the ice appreciated the support.
Which is rather fitting because, after all, it was Fan Appreciation Night in Buffalo and an announced crowd of 17,998 cheered their team on while the Sabres reciprocated with a fun-filled win. The five goals scored by Buffalo came from five different players in five different ways:
--first-year North American pro (because he's not considered a rookie) Victor Olofsson used a one-timer on a feed from Rasmus Ristolainen to blast one in for the first goal.
--Kyle Okposo was in the right place at the right time while driving to the net to pot a carom off of a Sens player
--Eichel put on a dizzying display of puck-control before sending a tape-to-tape, no-look backhand pass from behind the net to Sam Reinhart who was all alone in the slot
--Captain Jack got in on the scoring himself when he circled from around the net to bury a rebound left in the crease
--and finally, Jason Pominville sent a harmless-looking shot on goal from along the half-wall that deflected off of an Ottawa defender and into the net.
Friday, April 5, 2019
Fan Appreciation night at KeyBank Center. Get yer Jack Eichel bobblehead!
With two games left in the 2018-19 hockey season, it's hard to figure out what Sabres fans will be rooting for more--a win in the final home game or a loss. Then again maybe they'll enjoy a hard-fought game that ends up in a loss and therefore helps solidify a place in the bottom-five of the NHL and better odds of ending up with a top-three pick in the NHL Draft.
It's a predicament that leaves many fans scratching their heads while wondering if they'll ever see a winning season from this team.
Back in November during the 10-game winning streak it seemed as if Buffalo's seven-year playoff drought might finally come to an end. With 37 points in the bag by the end of November, the Sabres needed to snare 60 points in their final 52 games to be in that group fighting for one of the two wild card spots. A record like 27-19-6, which is just two games over the real .500-mark would have gotten them there and though everyone knew, including owner Terry Pegula, that this wasn't a President's Cup caliber team, certainly they could be a 500-team. Right?
It didn't happen. In fact it went south, gaining speed as they barreled towards the bottom of the league. Although they won't finish dead last in the NHL like they did last season (and in three of their last five seasons,) their 14-33-8 record since the streak ended is the worst in the league.
Monday, April 1, 2019
Olofsson scores first NHL goal. Jackets in town with a lot on the line
Congratulations to winger Victor Olofsson scored his first NHL goal last night in a 5-1 loss against the NY Islanders at Nassau Coliseum on Long Island. The 23 yr. old native of Sweden earned the nickname "Goalofsson" for his work in Rochester this season as his 27 goals for the Americans led the team before his call-up two games ago. Forward C.J. Smith racked up two goals in Binghamton last night to tie Olofsson for the team lead.
Olofsson's goal came late in the third period with the Sabres down 5-0 and on the powerplay. Buffalo captain Jack Eichel kept the puck from leaving the Islanders zone and whipped a cross-ice pass to Olofsson who was all alone at the point. After waiting a bit for Sam Reinhart to position himself for a screen, Olofsson took a couple of steps in and sent a wrister far side to break the shutout bid by former Sabres goalie Robin Lehner.
That was all the good news for the Sabres last night as their plummet to the bottom part of the league continues. After last night's loss Buffalo is on record as losing six in a row (0-5-1,) are 1-11-2 in their last 13 games and are only 4-17-3 since a three-game point-streak in early February. They're presently 27th in the league only two points ahead of the Detroit Red Wings.
Sunday, March 31, 2019
Five games left and this is the expected effort from most of the Sabres tonight
Published by hockeybuzz.com, 3-30-2019
The Buffalo Sabres, fifth-worst in the NHL, face off against the NY Islanders, who are all but assured of a playoff spot, tonight at 7 pm. Here's Buffalo's projected lineup from those at the Nassau Coliseum rink for their morning skate:
Olofsson-Eichel-Reinhart
Skinner-Mittelstadt-Pominville
Sheary-Larsson-Nylander
Wilson-Girgensons-Okposo
Dahlin-Borgen
Pilut-Montour
Scandella-Nelson Good luck to: --Victor Olofsso, get that first NHL goal --Alexander Nylander, keep the pattern going--3 straight w/o a point, points in 3 straight (2+2), 3 straight w/o a point...
--Will Borgen, keep up the good work
Thank you.
The Buffalo Sabres, fifth-worst in the NHL, face off against the NY Islanders, who are all but assured of a playoff spot, tonight at 7 pm. Here's Buffalo's projected lineup from those at the Nassau Coliseum rink for their morning skate:
Olofsson-Eichel-Reinhart
Skinner-Mittelstadt-Pominville
Sheary-Larsson-Nylander
Wilson-Girgensons-Okposo
Dahlin-Borgen
Pilut-Montour
Scandella-Nelson Good luck to: --Victor Olofsso, get that first NHL goal --Alexander Nylander, keep the pattern going--3 straight w/o a point, points in 3 straight (2+2), 3 straight w/o a point...
--Will Borgen, keep up the good work
Thank you.
Saturday, March 30, 2019
Think of the youngins
Published by hockeybuzz.com, 3-29-2019
The odds of head coach Phil Housley returning to the Sabres bench next season get longer with each loss. At present his Buffalo squad is five losses away (with five games remaining) from having the dubious distinction of being the first team in NHL history to have a 10-game winning streak and a 10-game losing streak in the same season, something that's not exactly a ringing endorsement for his return.
That the latter two-thirds of this season has been a disaster is an understatement and in a results-based business is cause in and of itself for his dismissal. The only saving grace Housley might have had is a team that's giving it's all but coming up short, similar to how much of the season played out last year save for some rough patches. However, many of Housley's players checked out on him weeks ago and with each passing game more seem to be headed that way, hence the 2-10-2 record in March. Although this may not be Housley's fault in totality, keeping him on board this season with his team deaf to what he's preaching is making matters worse and only seems to perpetuates the Sabres losing culture.
The odds of head coach Phil Housley returning to the Sabres bench next season get longer with each loss. At present his Buffalo squad is five losses away (with five games remaining) from having the dubious distinction of being the first team in NHL history to have a 10-game winning streak and a 10-game losing streak in the same season, something that's not exactly a ringing endorsement for his return.
That the latter two-thirds of this season has been a disaster is an understatement and in a results-based business is cause in and of itself for his dismissal. The only saving grace Housley might have had is a team that's giving it's all but coming up short, similar to how much of the season played out last year save for some rough patches. However, many of Housley's players checked out on him weeks ago and with each passing game more seem to be headed that way, hence the 2-10-2 record in March. Although this may not be Housley's fault in totality, keeping him on board this season with his team deaf to what he's preaching is making matters worse and only seems to perpetuates the Sabres losing culture.
Friday, March 29, 2019
Sabres/Bills team president Kim Pegula, "I'm still learning." Sabres still sinking.
While Buffalo Sabres and Bills owners Terry and Kim Pegula were in Arizona at the NFL owners meetings yesterday evening, their hockey team was busy getting embarrassed and shut out by the Ottawa Senators, the worst team in the NHL. Although Kim's thought-process while facing the Buffalo media in Arizona may have centered around being team president of the Bills, she's also team president of the Sabres.
Regardless of which professional team her thoughts were ultimately emanating from, Kim Pegula, who had no team president experience when she took over the mantle of both professional clubs, admitted to learning on the job. Which is great for her. But while she's busy "learning" about being a team president, her hockey team is busy cementing their place in the annals of NHL ignominy for having one of the worst falls in league history--from first-overall to bottom-five in a span of 51 games.
"It takes a while to just understand the organization and people behind it and how we want things to be done, how we want things to be structured," she told the Buffalo media. "I've been talking to a lot of other clubs around the league, 'how are you doing things?' And so for me it was part of the learning process….and it's just part of the whole progression of how we want things to be and how we want to make our own mark."
Monday, March 25, 2019
Sabres headed to Sweden as part of 2019 NHL Global Series (very interesting)
The Buffalo Sabres are headed to Sweden next season as a part of the NHL's 2019 Global Series according to the League. Buffalo will face off against the Tampa Bay Lightning on Friday, Nov 8 and Saturday, Nov. 9 at Ericsson Globe in Stockholm, Sweden. It makes for a very interesting connect-the-dots situation when it comes to their head coaching situation.
Phil Housley is still the head coach of the Buffalo Sabres and will likely be so until the end of the season. However, general manager Jason Botterill, along with possible input from owners Terry and Kim Pegula, will need to decide Housley's fate as this season turned south in December and there were no signs that Housley could, or even knew how to, pull this team out of the muck.
And it continued last night.
The Toronto Maple Leafs swept the season series with a 4-2 win last night, have now won five in a row against the Sabres and according to Mike Harrington of the Buffalo News, the Leafs have now won three in a row at Buffalo for the first time since 1972. Housley's team got run over last night and only Carter Hutton kept this from being a laugher on the scoreboard.
The Sabres are hitting marks that don't bode well for Housley's future in Buffalo. The Sabres were coming off of a solid win vs. the St. Louis Blues on Sunday and were looking to make it two in a row for the first time since Dec. 11-13. That in and of itself should tell you the struggles this team has been having and that stretch is also the reason that the Buffalo Sabres will be only the second team in NHL history to have a 10-game winning streak and miss the playoffs in the same season.
Phil Housley is still the head coach of the Buffalo Sabres and will likely be so until the end of the season. However, general manager Jason Botterill, along with possible input from owners Terry and Kim Pegula, will need to decide Housley's fate as this season turned south in December and there were no signs that Housley could, or even knew how to, pull this team out of the muck.
And it continued last night.
The Toronto Maple Leafs swept the season series with a 4-2 win last night, have now won five in a row against the Sabres and according to Mike Harrington of the Buffalo News, the Leafs have now won three in a row at Buffalo for the first time since 1972. Housley's team got run over last night and only Carter Hutton kept this from being a laugher on the scoreboard.
The Sabres are hitting marks that don't bode well for Housley's future in Buffalo. The Sabres were coming off of a solid win vs. the St. Louis Blues on Sunday and were looking to make it two in a row for the first time since Dec. 11-13. That in and of itself should tell you the struggles this team has been having and that stretch is also the reason that the Buffalo Sabres will be only the second team in NHL history to have a 10-game winning streak and miss the playoffs in the same season.
Monday, March 18, 2019
Two streaks down, one still going. Plus, Ryan O'Reilly's return to Buffalo
Published by hockeybuzz.com, 3-17-2019
In one fell swoop, Jeff Skinner's goal just over two minutes into the first period at Carolina last night ended his personal goal-drought of 13 games and simultaneously ended Buffalo's three-game goal-drought. The Sabres hadn't lit the lamp since the 7:20 mark of the third period in Chicago on March 7 and were shutout three consecutive games--a total of 199 minutes 58 seconds--before Skinner's goal against his former Hurricanes team.
It was the second consecutive season that Buffalo was shut out three games in a row and as Mike Harrington of the Buffalo news pointed out, the Sabres were the first team since 1929 to have that dubious distinction. How that sits with ownership is yet to be determined but they can't be very happy with that in terms of head coach Phil Housley.
The Sabres are pretty easy to chart these days as most games go like this:
--come out with some energy and put shots on net, sometimes they, score other times they don't
--get on their heels as the opposition amps up the pressure
--fall behind
--ramp up the energy, put some shots on net, sometimes they, score other times they don't
--fall behind enough to where the opposition begins locking things down
--a late third-period push has them bringing intense pressure, sometimes they score, other times they don't
--lose
In one fell swoop, Jeff Skinner's goal just over two minutes into the first period at Carolina last night ended his personal goal-drought of 13 games and simultaneously ended Buffalo's three-game goal-drought. The Sabres hadn't lit the lamp since the 7:20 mark of the third period in Chicago on March 7 and were shutout three consecutive games--a total of 199 minutes 58 seconds--before Skinner's goal against his former Hurricanes team.
It was the second consecutive season that Buffalo was shut out three games in a row and as Mike Harrington of the Buffalo news pointed out, the Sabres were the first team since 1929 to have that dubious distinction. How that sits with ownership is yet to be determined but they can't be very happy with that in terms of head coach Phil Housley.
The Sabres are pretty easy to chart these days as most games go like this:
--come out with some energy and put shots on net, sometimes they, score other times they don't
--get on their heels as the opposition amps up the pressure
--fall behind
--ramp up the energy, put some shots on net, sometimes they, score other times they don't
--fall behind enough to where the opposition begins locking things down
--a late third-period push has them bringing intense pressure, sometimes they score, other times they don't
--lose
Sunday, February 24, 2019
If they play that way the rest of the way, most would be OK with that
The Buffalo Sabres and Tampa Bay Lightning went at it last night in a tight, physical battle that ended in the shootout. Tampa came away with the 2-1 win and in the process extended their winning streak to eight games while the loss was Buffalo's fourth in a row (0-3-1.) Despite the loss, credit to the Sabres for making the Lightning work for it.
From Jack Eichel to defenseman Rasmus "Beastolainen" to goalie Carter Hutton to winger Jeff Skinner, who got in a heated tussle with Tampa's Brayden Point, and everyone in between, the Sabres as a team came to play and did everything they could to win against the high-powered Lightning. However, Tampa rolled out the skill in the shootout and came out on top.
The game last night had a playoff feel to it much like a late November matchup where Tampa ended Buffalo's franchise-tying 10-game winning streak. It was about as exciting as it gets that early in the season as Lightning won on two third period goals to complete the back-and-forth, come-from-behind 5-4 win. The talk afterward centered around the intensity of the game and electricity in the building and that there seemed to be a rivalry brewing between the two clubs.
Thursday, February 21, 2019
The Pegulas witness a disaster and perhaps they need a different approach
Terry and Kim Pegula should feel very lucky they own the Buffalo Sabres and not the Florida Panthers because no matter how bad their team might be, they'll never see such a sparse crowd like was on hand last night in Sunrise, Florida. The Pegulas reside just a stone's throw away in Boca Raton and they were on hand last night as their Sabres took on the Panthers with empty seats all over the place at BB&T Center. Luckily for them, despite how bad Buffalo has been playing lately, and have played since they took over the team in 2011, the attendance is way beyond anything Florida has had.
Buffalo dropped a 4-2 decision to a Panthers team that has been in the bottom half of the conference for most of the season. It was the third loss in a row for the Sabres and third one against a team that was decidedly out of the playoff race.
Saturday, February 16, 2019
Pressing towards the trade deadline with a game-packed stretch coming up
Published by hockeybuzz.com, 2-15-2019
The Buffalo Sabres took Monday and Wednesday off this week and will finish a seven-game homestand with a bout against the NY Rangers tonight at KeyBank Center. Buffalo started out this stand getting trampled upon by the Chicago Blackhawks and proceeded to alternate between wins and losses the next five games. A win tonight would be big on a number of levels as it would offer up a bit of redemption for the club after a rough start to the homestand, it will give them their first back-to-back wins since December, and it will pull them a bit closer to a playoff spot.
Buffalo's 3-2-1 record during the stand is decent so far but it hasn't been enough to significantly move the needle in their playoff push and losing to the Carolina Hurricanes last week certainly didn't help matters even if they did get a loser-point. The 'Canes jumped ahead of Buffalo in the standings with that 6-5 overtime win although the Sabres still have a game in hand. Tonight Carolina hosts the struggling Edmonton Oilers who are presently in a death-spiral (2-6-2 in their last 10 games.)
Yesterday's scoreboard was kind to the Sabres as two teams they're chasing both lost. The Columbus Blue Jackets, who are presently in a dog-fight to stay top-three in the Metropolitan Division were shutout 3-0 and the Montreal Canadiens who sit third in the Atlantic Division lost 3-1 last night. Buffalo is four points behind the Jackets while playing the same number of games and they're six points behind the Habs with a game in hand meaning a win tonight will pull the Sabres that much closer to teams they're chasing.
Friday, February 8, 2019
Task at hand: overcoming losing streak vs. 'Canes
The Sabres did well in defeating the Minnesota Wild on Tuesday. Granted it took a while as they blew a one-goal lead late in the third period and had to go to the shootout for the 5-4 win, but a win's a win and at this point in the season, they'll take all the points they can get. Buffalo had lost their previous five home games against the Wild with their last win on March 24, 2012.
Those issues are popping up again for the Sabres, this time with the Carolina Hurricanes. Including a 4-3 loss to the Hurricanes back in January, Buffalo has lost seven in a row to the Carolina (0-5-2.) The last time they won was almost three years agon in Jack Eichel's rookie season. The March 22, 2016 win concluded a season sweep of the 'Canes and extended Buffalo's winning streak against them to four games.
Such is the topsy-turvy life of two struggling teams.
Wednesday, February 6, 2019
Welcome to the Pressure Dome
Published by hockeybuzz.com, 2-5-2019
The Buffalo Sabres brought this upon themselves and only they can fix it. Whether you blame the defense, secondary scoring, the powerplay, goaltending, the coach and/or the general manager, the Sabres are in a free fall and it doesn't seem as if they have any idea how to get out of it.
Dig.
After Friday's 7-3 debacle at home against the Chicago Blackhawks, the Sabres fell to 3-7-0 in their last 10 games and their 25-20-6 record puts them below the real .500 mark for the first time since November 4 when they fell to 7-6-2 after a loss to the NY Rangers. They followed that game with a 10-game winning streak, which had a lot to do with them being above .500 for so long, but their subsequent fall from grace dropped them to where they are now. In looking back as to how the 2018-19 season has unfolded, it's really been a tale of three seasons--pre-streak, streak and post-streak--for Buffalo and after 51 games we're still not sure just who the hell they are.
The word emanating from KeyBank Center is that the Sabres are trying to get back to who they were before and head coach Phil Housley yesterday pointed to how they played after a shakeup in the lines and d-pairings sparked a strong run. "Everybody had a role, an identity," Housley told the gathered media yesterday. "But in saying that, I think we were playing the game the right way back then, making good puck decisions, managing our game, our checking detail was really solid and we've got to get back to that."
"You can mix the lines up all you want, but if you don't manage a game, you don't have a respect for your own net, you're going to get the same result."
All very true, Buffalo may have played their best game to that point of the season when they lost to the NY Rangers 3-1 back in November yet they also never put together that full-game effort the next 10 games yet won all of them. At that point in time they were playing extremely well for parts of games, yet were still winning, and perhaps they thought that their 10-game harmonic conversion of good luck combined with starry-eyed confidence is who they really were. Yet this downward spiral should have brought them back down to earth and if they don't figure it out real soon (like tonight,) they're in for a rough finish to the season.
The Buffalo Sabres brought this upon themselves and only they can fix it. Whether you blame the defense, secondary scoring, the powerplay, goaltending, the coach and/or the general manager, the Sabres are in a free fall and it doesn't seem as if they have any idea how to get out of it.
Dig.
After Friday's 7-3 debacle at home against the Chicago Blackhawks, the Sabres fell to 3-7-0 in their last 10 games and their 25-20-6 record puts them below the real .500 mark for the first time since November 4 when they fell to 7-6-2 after a loss to the NY Rangers. They followed that game with a 10-game winning streak, which had a lot to do with them being above .500 for so long, but their subsequent fall from grace dropped them to where they are now. In looking back as to how the 2018-19 season has unfolded, it's really been a tale of three seasons--pre-streak, streak and post-streak--for Buffalo and after 51 games we're still not sure just who the hell they are.
The word emanating from KeyBank Center is that the Sabres are trying to get back to who they were before and head coach Phil Housley yesterday pointed to how they played after a shakeup in the lines and d-pairings sparked a strong run. "Everybody had a role, an identity," Housley told the gathered media yesterday. "But in saying that, I think we were playing the game the right way back then, making good puck decisions, managing our game, our checking detail was really solid and we've got to get back to that."
"You can mix the lines up all you want, but if you don't manage a game, you don't have a respect for your own net, you're going to get the same result."
All very true, Buffalo may have played their best game to that point of the season when they lost to the NY Rangers 3-1 back in November yet they also never put together that full-game effort the next 10 games yet won all of them. At that point in time they were playing extremely well for parts of games, yet were still winning, and perhaps they thought that their 10-game harmonic conversion of good luck combined with starry-eyed confidence is who they really were. Yet this downward spiral should have brought them back down to earth and if they don't figure it out real soon (like tonight,) they're in for a rough finish to the season.
Tuesday, February 5, 2019
Sabres need more than a Elie-waive/Smith recall to get into the wild card spot
Published by hockeybuzz.com, 2-4-2019
Okay. Let's get this out of the way. Winger C.J. Smith will not be Buffalo's savior. Smith, who was called up from Rochester today, will not single-handedly turn around a team that has lost 18 of their last 26 games (8-14-4) nor will he help the goaltending, which has been a sieve as of late (35 goals in their last eight games) nor will he help the d-corps get their collective head out of their butt.
However, what he can do is help the mid-six forward group.
Since head coach Phil Housley put all his scoring eggs of Jack Eichel, Jeff Skinner and Sam Reinhart into one basket, the team has struggled mightily with secondary scoring. While the top line was doing their thing and the bottom line theirs in a defensive vein, the middle six has contributed very little to the cause. It's a giant hole that emerged during the season and it's really not the fault of players or coaches.
Okay. Let's get this out of the way. Winger C.J. Smith will not be Buffalo's savior. Smith, who was called up from Rochester today, will not single-handedly turn around a team that has lost 18 of their last 26 games (8-14-4) nor will he help the goaltending, which has been a sieve as of late (35 goals in their last eight games) nor will he help the d-corps get their collective head out of their butt.
However, what he can do is help the mid-six forward group.
Since head coach Phil Housley put all his scoring eggs of Jack Eichel, Jeff Skinner and Sam Reinhart into one basket, the team has struggled mightily with secondary scoring. While the top line was doing their thing and the bottom line theirs in a defensive vein, the middle six has contributed very little to the cause. It's a giant hole that emerged during the season and it's really not the fault of players or coaches.
Monday, February 4, 2019
Pick a headline:
Published by hockeybuzz.com, 2-2-2019
Fail
Epic fail
Not ready for prime time
What was that all about?
Is that any way to start a seven-game home stand?
You do realize that this was the second to last team in the league?
Precious points slip away...again
A rare occurrence--Pominville and Okposo both scoring in the same game--is wasted
What happened to starter Carter Hutton?
They finally scored a goal on the powerplay. Yay. But lose. Boooo.
Obviously, nowhere close to good enough.
Or maybe:
Sabres struggling with pressure
You can't really complain with how the Sabres came out in the first period, save for their typical penchant for trying to do too much in front of the hometown fans. Perhaps this is a curse of some kind dating back to the first post-Drury/Briere season of 2007-08, where those Sabres teams seemed intent upon collecting style points instead of goals on the scoreboard. Unfortunately this approach has gone on for years in Buffalo, spanning numerous coaches as well as a complete roster turnover save for 35 yr. old Jason Pominville who was on those teams, was traded away and came back in a trade.
Another trait that seems to have followed the Sabres is wilting under pressure which is a direct result of failing move the scoreboard. For those of us who distinctly remember those teams in the latter ought's, adversity was a cruel beast that rendered those Sabres teams helpless. If they weren't scoring, they got frustrated and began to twinkle their toes even more leading to cracks and gaps in their game that the opposition eventually took advantage of. When that levee finally broke, the goals-against came quickly and there was no place to hide.
Fail
Epic fail
Not ready for prime time
What was that all about?
Is that any way to start a seven-game home stand?
You do realize that this was the second to last team in the league?
Precious points slip away...again
A rare occurrence--Pominville and Okposo both scoring in the same game--is wasted
What happened to starter Carter Hutton?
They finally scored a goal on the powerplay. Yay. But lose. Boooo.
Obviously, nowhere close to good enough.
Or maybe:
Sabres struggling with pressure
You can't really complain with how the Sabres came out in the first period, save for their typical penchant for trying to do too much in front of the hometown fans. Perhaps this is a curse of some kind dating back to the first post-Drury/Briere season of 2007-08, where those Sabres teams seemed intent upon collecting style points instead of goals on the scoreboard. Unfortunately this approach has gone on for years in Buffalo, spanning numerous coaches as well as a complete roster turnover save for 35 yr. old Jason Pominville who was on those teams, was traded away and came back in a trade.
Another trait that seems to have followed the Sabres is wilting under pressure which is a direct result of failing move the scoreboard. For those of us who distinctly remember those teams in the latter ought's, adversity was a cruel beast that rendered those Sabres teams helpless. If they weren't scoring, they got frustrated and began to twinkle their toes even more leading to cracks and gaps in their game that the opposition eventually took advantage of. When that levee finally broke, the goals-against came quickly and there was no place to hide.
Wednesday, January 30, 2019
Back on the ice at Columbus
The Sabres come off of their long, 10-day break between games with a back-to-back beginning tonight at Columbus against the Blue Jackets. After tonight it's off to Dallas, TX for a bout against the Stars tomorrow night. All three teams will be in their first action since the All-Star break. While Buffalo and Columbus will be shaking off the cobwebs tonight, the Stars will need to do that tomorrow night against a Sabres team that should be close to game-speed.
As for tonight, this game may help set the tone for Buffalo's final 34 games as the Sabres are facing off against a Columbus team that is five points ahead of them in the standings. Although the Blue Jackets are presently third in the Metropolitan Division, the top four teams in that division are only separated by a total of five points and any one of them could drop out of the top-three and into the wild card spot during the stretch run.
Which is where the Pittsburgh Penguins find themselves at this point.
Thursday, January 24, 2019
How far have the Sabres progressed 48 games in?
Published by hockeybuzz.com, 1-21-2019
Let's get this right out of the way. In 2017-18, the Buffalo Sabres finished dead last in the league becoming the first team to have 31st next to it's name in the standings. The 62 points Buffalo managed was five less than the 30th place Ottawa Senators while their minus-81 goal differential was 11 worse then the Sens.
Let's get this right out of the way. In 2017-18, the Buffalo Sabres finished dead last in the league becoming the first team to have 31st next to it's name in the standings. The 62 points Buffalo managed was five less than the 30th place Ottawa Senators while their minus-81 goal differential was 11 worse then the Sens.
Although they had some talent, last season was a disaster for the Sabres but with a little luck in the draft lottery it yielded phenom defenseman Rasmus Dahlin, who was said to be the most highly touted d-prospect in decades. The offseason saw a multitude of changes, including the trade of No. 2 center Ryan O'Reilly and the complete overhaul of a goaltending duo that was near the bottom of the league.
The problems Buffalo faced this off season were many, as were the changes and heading into the season and we knew they'd be better overall but weren't sure by how much. In our 2018-19 Sabres preview here we came up with a wide ranging point prediction (from low 70's to low 90's) but figured that they'd be in the upper portion of that range (around 84) with the possibility of moving into the high end and maybe more should the large numbers of "if ______ can do this" scenarios came to fruition.
There were quite a few of those and with the Sabres on a pace to be in that upper portion of that point-range it's time to see how those "if _____ can's" affected the season thus far.
Monday, January 21, 2019
Sabres recap
The Sabres just finished a three-game western Canada road swing that pretty much turned the Corsi-loving faction of the analytics community on it's head. In Buffalo's 4-3 OT win at Calgary, they were outshot 33-23 and sent only 37 shots the Flames' way while seeing 61 shots attempts at them. Their two losses were just the opposite.
The Sabres got smoked in Edmonton 7-2 to kick off the road trip but were sending all kinds of rubber the Oilers way. Buffalo peppered Edmonton's goalie with 43 shots on goal and sent a total of 72 shots their way while the Oilers managed only 23 shots on goal and 37 total shots. In the Sabres final game of the trip in Vancouver, a 4-3 loss, they had 70 total shots and 39 on goal while the Canucks had 40 total shots and only 23 on goal.
And so it goes.
The only number that really matter revolve around the final score and the Sabres came out on the losing end twice. Props to them for a gutty effort in Calgary where they pulled out a win after getting embarrassed in Edmonton and they should also take heart in knowing that they played a strong game in Vancouver but were victims of their own mistakes.
*****
Another number that is important right now is 54 and that's the number of points the Sabres have accumulated this season with 34 games to play.
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