Score: Capitals 6 | Sabres 0
Shots: WSH 30 | BUF 23
Sabres Goals: None.
Penguins Goals: Evgeni Kuznetsov (3), Nicklas Backstrom (11), Richard Panik (3), Daniel Sprong (6), Garnet Hathaway (4), Alexander Ovechkin (11)
Minus – 1 | Two Shots
The Sabres went into the first intermission down by just one goal, but more importantly, they only managed to get two shots on goal in the first period. Two shots… in twenty minutes of play. Whether your team is on an 11-game losing streak or not, that’s downright unacceptable but in this case, it’s a microcosm of the many issues currently facing this team. In Monday night’s case, it was just the beginning of what turned out to be a pitiful effort, which gave Caps netminder Vitek Vanecek his first career shutout.
Minus – 2 | A Botched 3-on-1
Buffalo had one of its best chances midway through the game on a three-on-one opportunity, and they completely botched it. It’s just a small part of the loss, and while it may not have made a huge difference in the end result, it also well represents how the Sabres’ season is going at this point. From this to a point-blank shot that rang off the post, the Sabres couldn’t buy a goal right now – if they could even afford one.
Minus – 3 | A Busy Week Ahead
Monday night’s 6-0 loss was just the beginning of what is a busy week for the struggling Sabres. It’s a quick turnaround as Buffalo heads to New Jersey to face the Devils on Tuesday night, then returns home to host the Boston Bruins on Thursday and Saturday. They’ll also play four games next week. There’s no rest for the weary, but still more than half of the season remains. With a losing streak that has now reached 11 games, how much further is this going to go?