Published by hockeybuzz.com, 10-31-2018
Even though it's just a point in the standings, a 7-4-1 record looks a lot better than a 6-4-2- record, which is where the Buffalo Sabres ended the month of October this season.
Buffalo had the chance to come away with two points last night but a couple of mental miscues left them settling for a loser point in a game they probably should have lost outright. Late in the third period up 1-0, Sabres bench boss Phil Housley went with much of the same crew that had protected one-goal leads on two previous occasions.
In that situation, the name of the game is get the puck and get it out of the zone by any means necessary. This group didn't get it done. With Vladimir Sobotka cheating a bit outside the Buffalo blueline, Zemgus Girgensons struggled along the wall working through a little hook and hold before his attempted chip to the blueline was intercepted. One pass and two deflections later the game was tied and we were headed to overtime.
When it comes to 3-on-3 overtime, the object is puck possession and getting it in the hands of your best player(s) especially when it's Jack Eichel staring at oodles of space on an odd man rush in the opposition zone. Buffalo d-man Rasmus Ristolainen must have had visions of his gold medal goal in overtime of the 2014 IIHF World Junior Championships because he opted to take it wide and head towards the net. He was stripped of the puck, blew a tire and the Flames headed back up ice on a 2-on-1 with Eichel as the only defender. Two passes later, the puck was in the Buffalo net sealing the 2-1 OT win for Calgary.
At 6-4-2 the Sabres are doing much better this season than last. Their last two losses were in overtime and they managed to snag a point even though they played lousy hockey--in Columbus for a second period where they gave up three unanswered goals and last night for most of the game.
Sabres goalie Carter Hutton was not a happy camper after last night's game as he was hung out to dry again and did everything in his power to put the team in a position to win. "We played with fire too many times," a visibly upset Hutton told the media post-game, "and they made us pay tonight."
Hutton was a good get for the Sabres by GM Jason Botterill and he's been more than holding his own despite a rather large 2.94 goals-against average paired with a decent .910 save percentage. Hutton let one Buffalo media member know just how he felt about his play and how he's being perceived when he was asked how much better he felt tonight as compared to his last three or four games (where he's given up an average of three goals/game.)
"I think I've been pretty good so far this year" said a miffed Hutton to the media member. "I think you guys criticize me a lot on one or two goals. You guys have your opinion, I have mine and that's all I can say on that."
Hutton was one of a handful of players either signed or traded for by Botterill to help fill gaping holes in the Sabres roster and he's had a positive impact on the team thus far. So has LW, Jeff Skinner.
Skinner was acquired by the Sabres to fill a gaping hole at left wing and to help 5v5 scoring. After a slow start he's been as advertised. Presently he leads the team with six goals and is tied with Eichel for the team lead with 12 points. All but one of Skinner's goals have come at even strength with the other being an empty-netter.
In addition to his goals, Skinner has six assists which is tied with defenseman Jake McCabe for second on the team (Eichel,) and his four primary assists in October tie him with Sam Reinhart for the team lead in that category.
Skinner also leads the team with a plus-10 rating which is presently sixth in the league.
Thirty-five year old winger Jason Pominville has come to life again. After being placed on the fourth line to start the season, he was moved up with Eichel and Skinner when Housley blew up his lines. Pominville's 10 points place him third on the team this season and he's also the closest to Skinner in plus/minus with a plus-6. Of note, in 12 October games last season Pominville had six goals and six assists while this year he has five goals (second on the team) and five assists.
Whereas Skinner has a definitive lead on the positive side in plus/minus, Ristolainen is a team-worst minus-10 with both of Calgary's goals last night contributing to that. Reinhart and another Sabres acquisition, Conor Sheary, come in at minus-7 while Kyle Okposo is a minus-6.
Last season the Sabres had a 3-7-2 record through the month of October. They scored 28 goals, all by forwards. This season the Sabres are 6-4-2 and have scored 31 goals, six of them by defensemen. Hutton's GAA and Sv% are almost identical to Robin Lehner's 2.78 gaa and .910 sv% last season with Lehner coming away with a 2-4-1 record in October.
There's been a big difference in the backup goalie position as Linus Ullmark is 2-0-1 with a 2.00 GAA and .935 Sv% while last year's backup, Chad Johnson was 1-3-1 with a 4.06 GAA and .880 Sv%. Ullmark also has the team's only shutout.
Buffalo Sabres 2017-18 Individual Stats leaders
Points
--October: Skinner, Eichel, 12; Pominville, 10
Goals
--October: Skinner, 6; Pominville, 5; Eichel, 4
Powerplay Goals
--October: Sheary, 3; Okposo, 2; four players with 1
Assists
--October: Eichel, 8; McCabe, Skinner, 6; Reinhart, Pominville, 5
Powerplay Assists
--October: Reinhart, 4; Skinner, 3; four players with 2
Primary Assists
--October: Skinner, Reinhart, 4; Eichel, Pominville, Okposo, Ristolainen, 3
Plus/Minus
--October: Skinner +10; Pominville +6; Beaulieu +3
Plus/Minus (Bottom)
--October: Ristolainen, -10; Reinhart, Sheary -7; Okposo, -6
Goalies (composite)
Carter Hutton
--October: 4-4-1 record; 2.94 goals against; .910 save percentage; 0 shutouts
Linus Ullmark
--October: 2-0-1; 2.00 GAA; .935 Sv%; 1 shutout
