The Buffalo Sabres are one of, if not the, worst team in the NHL, and the only games they’ve seemed to do well against are the games in which they play other terrible teams.
After tonight’s thorough drubbing by the 4-7-0 Rangers, even that statement might be in doubt.
Tonight’s 2-0 shutout by the Rangers means that the Sabres finish just an awful month of hockey, going 2-11-1 in October. They’ve been outscored by a 41-23 margin, have been the worst first period team in the league, and have held a lead about as long as they’ve held the interest of most fans each night, which is to say, not long at all.
There’s really not much to say about this game that we haven’t said in the previous contests: the Sabres were outworked and out-possessed for most of the game, which of course led to them being massively outshot yet again by a 46-29 margin.
Ryan Miller stood on his head yet again to keep the Sabres in it, but in the end, an inept offense couldn’t get any of its meager chances by a dialed-in Henrik Lundqvist. They lost. Again.
At this point I really don’t know what else there is to say about this team. Most of their games have been the ultimate background entertainment – they’re the perfect thing to have on while you take care of other things in your life. Their games require no engagement, as they provide so little to latch on to during the game. Oh, someone scored? I’ll watch the replay. Trying to watch the young guys? Well, the forwards haven’t done much of anything and the defense has been serviceable but not must-see spectacular the way Myers was his rookie year.
The bright spots have been so few and far between, both in games and players. In fact, many of the positives I could list include things like “Myers has improved from terrible to average” and “Brian Flynn doesn’t look out of place on the top line!”
I’m sorry if this seems like an excuse to vent, but this team has just been so uninspiring that it’s difficult at times to keep caring enough to watch. I’ve got new respect for the guys who do this for a living, and for those of you whose faith hasn’t wavered. As for tonight, feel free to watch the highlights (courtesy of Sabres.com) if you so desire, and we’ll try this whole thing again on Saturday.