The worst-case scenario coming true last night – the Buffalo Sabres lost in regulation and Washington beat Florida – and the Sabres have finally been knocked out of the playoffs, about four months after being left for dead in 15th place. It’s been a heck of a run, but one that ultimately ended in disappointment; take a few breaths, Sabres fans, and we’ll start trying to put this season in its proper place after the anger/sadness/hangovers wear off.
– Recaps of last night’s game. [Sabres.com, NHL.com, The Buffalo News, WGR, Buffalo Nuggets, Disciples of the Sword, CSN Philly, Broad Street Hockey]
– Much like 2006, the Sabres came into the game down three defenseman. How’d that go for them? [WGR]
– What should the Sabres do next? [Sabres Edge]
– The Hodgson-Kassian trade looks good for Buffalo on the surface, but when you dig deeper, you can make an argument that Hodgson’s defensive deficiencies don’t make up for the increase in offense. [PITB]
– A list of 25 “breakout players” (having scored more than 10 points better than their previous best) includes no Sabres. [TSN]
– What was the dirtiest cheap shot of the season? [Backhand Shelf]
– Speaking of, here’s the concussion numbers from the 2011-2012 season. [CBC]
– Why you shouldn’t make fun of the Lady Byng trophy. OK, you’ll probably keep making fun of it, but here’s why you should at least feel bad about it. [THN]