Score: Islanders 3 | Sabres 0
Shots: NYI 24 | BUF 20
Sabres Goals: None
Islanders Goals: Anders Lee (6, 7), Jean-Gabriel Pageau (6)
Observation 1 | Where Are The Goals?
Buffalo’s return from the league-imposed Covid protocols has been an ugly one.
Offensively, the Sabres have been nothing short of offensive. Lines look disjointed, players look slow, out of place and some are just downright lost on the ice.
With the accelerated season in full swing, and Buffalo playing a large amount of games in a short amount of time, there is next to no time to sit and sulk while trying to figure out their offensive problems.
Observation 2 | Bored to Death
It always feels like you can circle an Islanders game on the calendar and immediately be sure that the game will just bore the life right out of you.
Throughout tonight’s matchup, Buffalo tallied 20 total shots. There was no flow for the Sabres at all.
If there is one impressive thing to take from this, it is the Islanders themselves. Players playing to their roles and buying into the system. Hard not to be jealous of a team that can successfully put one skate in front of the other.
Observation 3 | Kyle Okposo
In a bummer of a game, there are more than a few different things that can be highlighted.
Tonight just so happens to be Kyle Okposo’s turn.
As a noted locker room leader and fan favorite, it is beginning to become difficult watching Okposo on the ice. It is clear – either he is playing through some debilitating injury or he plain just does not have it any more.
This was on display during the Islanders first goal of the evening. Okposo was not present on the play, found himself getting crossed up as the puck was deposited behind Carter Hutton.
Okposo’s line continues to statistically be one of the worst in the league. How much longer can Ralph Krueger continue to roll Okposo out?
Tune in to the Sabres next game on Thursday, February 18, when the Sabres head to Washington to take on the Capitals, to find out.