Every point is extremely important to the Buffalo Sabres as they cling to seventh place in the Eastern Conference with only a handful of games left on the schedule. The one that slipped away in this game might come back to haunt the Buffalo Sabres.
At 6:45 p.m. I think all Sabres fans would have been happy with a point playing against the high powered Washington Capitals without Ryan Miller. By 7:20 the Sabres trailed by two goals and earning point was no longer on the minds of Sabres fans. Still this game will linger as the point that got away if the Sabres somehow miss the playoffs by one point.
The Sabres quickly answered their two goal deficit but they led twice in the third period and could not hang on. There were strange bounces and strange penalties that surely contributed to the outcome but it was the Sabres failure to bury some chances that ultimately led to their defeat.
I decided to start a new feature here at Die by the Blade and track scoring chances like many other sites are doing. While this is a very subjective stat and is based mostly on my own opinion, I did use a criteria courtesy of The Copper and Blue.
Here is the definition of a scoring chance via Copper and Blue...
a scoring chance is defined as a clear play directed toward the opposing net from a dangerous scoring area - loosely defined as the top of the circle in and inside the faceoff dots, though sometimes slightly more generous than that depending on the amount of immediately-preceding puck movement or screens in front of the net. Blocked shots are generally not included but missed shots are. A player is awarded a scoring chance anytime he is on the ice and someone from either team has a chance to score. He is awarded a "chance for" if someone on his team has a chance to score and a "chance against" if the opposing team has a chance to score.
Like many others that are using the app, a special thanks to Vic Ferrari for his hard work in creating this and many other apps.
Scoring Chances for NHL Game Number 21171
| Team | Period | Time | Note | BUF | Opponent | |||||||||||
| WSH | 1 | 19:23 | Goal | 1 | 19 | 26 | 29 | 34 | 57 | 8 | 22 | 27 | 30 | 74 | 90 | 5v5 |
| BUF | 1 | 17:11 | 1 | 8 | 20 | 34 | 37 | 57 | 10 | 15 | 23 | 25 | 30 | 55 | 5v5 | |
| WSH | 1 | 15:19 | Goal | 1 | 4 | 21 | 22 | 34 | 63 | 18 | 19 | 23 | 28 | 30 | 55 | 5v5 |
| BUF | 1 | 13:30 | Goal | 1 | 19 | 26 | 29 | 34 | 57 | 8 | 22 | 27 | 30 | 74 | 90 | 5v5 |
| BUF | 1 | 12:53 | 1 | 6 | 21 | 22 | 44 | 63 | 18 | 19 | 23 | 28 | 30 | 55 | 5v5 | |
| BUF | 1 | 10:30 | Goal | 1 | 6 | 21 | 22 | 44 | 63 | 8 | 22 | 23 | 30 | 55 | 90 | 5v5 |
| WSH | 1 | 6:09 | 1 | 12 | 28 | 34 | 42 | 57 | 8 | 22 | 27 | 30 | 74 | 90 | 5v5 | |
| BUF | 1 | 4:02 | 1 | 12 | 28 | 34 | 42 | 57 | 16 | 21 | 23 | 30 | 44 | 55 | 5v5 | |
| WSH | 1 | 2:42 | 1 | 6 | 19 | 26 | 29 | 44 | 8 | 22 | 23 | 30 | 55 | 90 | 5v5 | |
| WSH | 1 | 2:32 | 1 | 21 | 22 | 34 | 57 | 63 | 8 | 22 | 23 | 30 | 55 | 90 | 5v5 | |
| WSH | 1 | 1:45 | 1 | 6 | 12 | 28 | 42 | 44 | 18 | 19 | 28 | 30 | 62 | 89 | 5v5 | |
| WSH | 2 | 17:14 | 1 | 4 | 8 | 17 | 20 | 37 | 16 | 21 | 30 | 44 | 62 | 89 | 5v5 | |
| BUF | 2 | 10:59 | 1 | 4 | 12 | 17 | 20 | 37 | 8 | 22 | 23 | 27 | 30 | 90 | 5v5 | |
| BUF | 2 | 9:25 | 1 | 4 | 17 | 21 | 22 | 63 | 16 | 21 | 27 | 30 | 44 | 74 | 5v5 | |
| WSH | 2 | 9:08 | 1 | 4 | 17 | 21 | 22 | 63 | 16 | 21 | 27 | 30 | 44 | 74 | 5v5 | |
| BUF | 2 | 0:22 | 1 | 6 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 44 | 10 | 23 | 25 | 30 | 44 | 55 | 5v5 | |
| WSH | 3 | 16:52 | 1 | 6 | 12 | 20 | 37 | 44 | 8 | 22 | 30 | 55 | 74 | 90 | 5v5 | |
| BUF | 3 | 16:42 | 1 | 6 | 12 | 20 | 37 | 44 | 8 | 22 | 30 | 55 | 74 | 90 | 5v5 | |
| WSH | 3 | 14:11 | 1 | 12 | 20 | 34 | 37 | 57 | 18 | 19 | 23 | 28 | 30 | 55 | 5v5 | |
| BUF | 3 | 11:46 | 1 | 12 | 22 | 34 | 57 | 63 | 15 | 21 | 27 | 30 | 74 | 5v4 | ||
| BUF | 3 | 9:23 | 1 | 6 | 8 | 28 | 42 | 44 | 8 | 22 | 23 | 30 | 62 | 90 | 5v5 | |
| BUF | 3 | 9:18 | 1 | 8 | 28 | 34 | 42 | 57 | 8 | 22 | 23 | 30 | 62 | 90 | 5v5 | |
| BUF | 3 | 8:45 | 1 | 4 | 17 | 21 | 22 | 63 | 18 | 19 | 27 | 28 | 30 | 74 | 5v5 | |
| BUF | 3 | 7:25 | Goal | 1 | 6 | 8 | 28 | 42 | 44 | 8 | 22 | 27 | 30 | 55 | 90 | 5v5 |
| WSH | 3 | 7:12 | 1 | 6 | 21 | 22 | 44 | 63 | 8 | 22 | 27 | 30 | 62 | 90 | 5v5 | |
| WSH | 3 | 5:42 | Goal | 1 | 19 | 21 | 34 | 57 | 8 | 19 | 21 | 22 | 30 | 90 | 4v5 | |
| BUF | 3 | 4:08 | 1 | 17 | 19 | 21 | 26 | 29 | 15 | 21 | 27 | 30 | 74 | 5v4 | ||
| BUF | 3 | 3:21 | Goal | 1 | 17 | 19 | 21 | 26 | 29 | 19 | 22 | 27 | 30 | 74 | 5v4 | |
| WSH | 3 | 2:27 | 1 | 6 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 44 | 8 | 23 | 28 | 30 | 55 | 90 | 5v5 | |
| WSH | 3 | 1:17 | 1 | 6 | 19 | 29 | 44 | 8 | 19 | 21 | 22 | 28 | 44 | 4v5 | ||
| WSH | 3 | 0:51 | Goal | 1 | 6 | 19 | 29 | 44 | 8 | 19 | 21 | 22 | 28 | 44 | 4v5 | |
| BUF | 4 | 3:53 | 1 | 6 | 19 | 42 | 44 | 22 | 27 | 30 | 74 | 90 | 4v4 | |||
| WSH | 4 | 1:41 | Goal | 1 | 22 | 29 | 34 | 44 | 8 | 19 | 30 | 55 | 74 | 4v4 | ||
| # | Player | EV | PP | SH | ||||||
| 1 | J. ENROTH | 58:30 | 14 | 13 | 2:51 | 3 | 0 | 1:58 | 0 | 3 |
| 4 | S. MONTADOR | 14:35 | 3 | 3 | 0:00 | 0 | 0 | 0:00 | 0 | 0 |
| 6 | M. WEBER | 21:42 | 7 | 5 | 0:03 | 0 | 0 | 1:06 | 0 | 2 |
| 8 | C. MCCORMICK | 14:22 | 4 | 1 | 0:03 | 0 | 0 | 0:00 | 0 | 0 |
| 12 | M. MANCARI | 10:17 | 3 | 4 | 1:05 | 1 | 0 | 0:00 | 0 | 0 |
| 17 | M. GRAGNANI | 14:35 | 3 | 2 | 1:58 | 2 | 0 | 0:00 | 0 | 0 |
| 19 | T. CONNOLLY | 16:19 | 2 | 2 | 1:43 | 2 | 0 | 1:06 | 0 | 3 |
| 20 | R. NIEDERMAYER | 8:38 | 4 | 4 | 0:00 | 0 | 0 | 0:00 | 0 | 0 |
| 21 | D. STAFFORD | 17:20 | 5 | 5 | 1:43 | 2 | 0 | 0:33 | 0 | 1 |
| 22 | B. BOYES | 16:29 | 5 | 6 | 1:05 | 1 | 0 | 0:00 | 0 | 0 |
| 26 | T. VANEK | 16:06 | 1 | 2 | 1:43 | 2 | 0 | 0:00 | 0 | 0 |
| 28 | P. GAUSTAD | 16:45 | 4 | 2 | 0:03 | 0 | 0 | 0:52 | 0 | 0 |
| 29 | J. POMINVILLE | 16:06 | 1 | 3 | 1:58 | 2 | 0 | 1:25 | 0 | 2 |
| 34 | C. BUTLER | 21:31 | 4 | 6 | 0:50 | 1 | 0 | 0:52 | 0 | 1 |
| 37 | M. ELLIS | 7:41 | 3 | 3 | 0:00 | 0 | 0 | 0:00 | 0 | 0 |
| 42 | N. GERBE | 17:46 | 5 | 2 | 0:03 | 0 | 0 | 0:00 | 0 | 0 |
| 44 | A. SEKERA | 23:21 | 7 | 6 | 0:03 | 0 | 0 | 1:06 | 0 | 2 |
| 57 | T. MYERS | 21:16 | 4 | 4 | 0:50 | 1 | 0 | 0:52 | 0 | 1 |
| 63 | T. ENNIS | 14:22 | 4 | 4 | 1:05 | 1 | 0 | 0:00 | 0 | 0 |
| Period | Totals | EV | PP | 5v3 PP | SH | 5v3 SH | ||||||
| 1 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 3 | 8 | 7 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Totals | 17 | 16 | 14 | 13 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 |