Sabres blow playoff chance

I'm not even sure what to write about here tonight after watching this team blow a two goal third period lead twice in one week.  This time they came away with one point but does that really even matter tonight?  Buffalo literally GAVE AWAY three points this week.  If they fail to make the playoffs, which is almost a certainty, they have nobody to blame but themselves.

Buffalo was the better team for 56 minutes tonight but a dumb lazy penalty by Kotalik in the final four minutes changed that.  Montreal has the leagues best power play and they took advantage by cutting the lead to one with 2:31 remaining in regulation.  Buffalo had an opportunity to put the game away with Carey Price on the bench but they iced the puck twice.  After losing a faceoff, after the second icing, Buffalo had an opportunity to clear but Drew Stafford failed to do so and the puck ended up in the Buffalo net.  Standing next to Thomas Plekanec when he scored the equalizer was none other than Toni Lydman who once again failed to pick up the guy in front.

Buffalo played well but seemed to lack the intensity and grit they had Thursday night in Ottawa and was never more evident than it was in overtime.  Buffalo failed to get a shot on goal in extra time and allowed the eventual game winner after a giveaway behind the net.  I understand that it was the third game in four nights but to blow a two goal lead in the final four minutes, when you are fighting for a playoff spot, is unacceptable.

If the 92 point theory I've been talking about holds true than Buffalo will need to win all four games to have a chance.  Reality is that this team will not be in the playoffs and that is a bitter pill to swallow for a franchise that has had so much success in recent years.

In the time it took me to write this post I am already over the loss tonight.  Maybe it's because I have already come to grips with the fact that they were going to miss the playoffs or maybe it's because the eternal optimist in me can see how bright the future is but it doesn't shake the disappointment of missing the playoffs.  I would love to hear your comments on this season and the remaining for games...are you disappointed (like I am), are you angry like most fans probably should be or could you care less because you thought they were going to be bad this season anyway?  Either way I would love to hear it.