Game #4
Buffalo Sabres (0-3-0) vs Ottawa Senators (1-2-0)
Puck Drop: 7:00 PM ET | KeyBank Center, Buffalo NY
TV: MSG, ESPN+
Know Your Opponent
Ottawa Senators
Record: 1-2-0 | 2 PTS
Last Game: 4-1 loss to the Nashville Predators
Division Ranking: 7th, Atlantic
PP: 17th, 18.2% (2/11 opps) [Sabres: 29th, 0% (0/11 opps)]
PK: 28th, 64.3% (9/14 killed) [Sabres: 3rd, 100% (11/11 killed)]
What to Watch
1. Could We Have Two?
After being shut out in the first game, and then scoring one each in the next two, would it be possible that today we could see us score two goals? Those heady days last season when we wore the Black & Reds and pumped in six goals seem as far away as when we last made the playoffs.
The Sabres best players on paper have not shown it on the ice, and until that happens we’re not going to be able to keep hoping that Alex Lyon keeps us in games long enough for us to bag a lucky goal here or there and expect to win anything.
2. Has Lindy Lost The Locker Room?
We’ve been saying it as fans, and the coaches and players are calling out the effort as well – when do we see that change? Sounds like Lindy Ruff is going to give a couple of players the night off in the press box to send the message, but if that doesn’t work, what happens next?
The antiquated tactics and coaching methods seem to not be working, but how long will this continue before a change is made? The cynical answer is nothing will change because both Kevyn Adams and Ruff are on expiring contracts, but if the Sabres are still only winning games here and there (i.e. at less than a .500 clip) in a month, surely something has to break, even if it’s only the fragile hopes of the last few supporters this team somehow still has.
3. That Power Play Though
Of the myriad issues this team has, the fact that absolutely nothing changed with the power play makes me start to wonder if any effort whatsoever was placed in the offseason into building some strategy around having the man advantage.
If no, then that’s an instantly fireable offense.
If yes, then why can’t we see the plan implemented? Heading towards aforementioned instantly fireable offense.
It’s hard to implement accountability in an organization when there is none from the top-down. When the president of the club, the general manager, the coaching staff, the team leaders and the remaining players feel they have no accountability to each other and the fans, then we will continue to have mumbled platitudes and frustrated stares take the place of actual changes made to improve things.
Projected Lineups
Buffalo Sabres
Forwards
Zach Benson – Tage Thompson – Alex Tuch
Jason Zucker – Ryan McLeod – Josh Doan
Jack Quinn – Peyton Krebs – Justin Danforth
Beck Malenstyn – Tyler Kozak – Josh Dunne
Defense
Bowen Byram – Rasmus Dahlin
Owen Power – Conor Timmins
Jacob Bryson – Ryan Johnson
Goalies: Alex Lyon (projected starter), Colten Ellis
Ottawa Senators
Forwards
Fabian Zetterlund – Tim Stützle – Drake Batherson
David Perron – Dylan Cozens – Michael Amadio
Ridly Greig – Shane Pinto – Claude Giroux
Olle Lycksell – Lars Eller – Nick Cousins
Defense
Jake Sanderson – Artem Zub
Thomas Chabot – Nick Jensen
Tyler Kleven – Jordan Spence
Goalies:
Linus Ullmark (projected starter), Leevi Merilainen