Recap: Buffalo shut out in 3-0 loss to Vancouver
One game after their first win, the Sabres were shutout by the Canucks in a not-so-very-good game.
A game after scoring three, Buffalo gets nada
Buffalo "exploded" for three goals against the Islanders, and the team and fans alike were hoping that it could finally be the straw that broke the camel's scoreless streak. However, tonight proved that there's still more suffering yet to be had. The Sabres couldn't score on just 25 shots,and while they had their fair share of chances to put some garbage goals in the net, they couldn't find the handle on pucks that Luongo left sitting in front of his own net.
Coming out flat
The Canucks registered eight shots in the first 1:49, thanks to a very early Marcus Foligno penalty. Vancouver dominated the first, outshooting Buffalo by a whopping 19-7 margin. We learned last year what happens when a team continually comes out of the locker room flat, and Ron Rolston has his work cut out for him to make sure that a bad game doesn't become a bad habit.
Grigorenko usage frustrating
On a night where the Sabres needed offense, the fact that Mikhail Grigorenko is playing on a line with John Scott and Cody McCormick is frustrating, to say the least. We all know that the young Russian needs to learn to compete with greater intensity and move his feet with more purpose, but playing 6:43 on the fourth line every night seems like a waste of his talents, especially considering that Buffalo has scored just ten goals in eight games.
Three Things To Watch For
1. Will the team's first win and some new found chemistry spark anything more?
2. Will Ron Rolston continue to juggle the healthy scratches, seemingly at random?
Actually, things stayed pretty steady from the NYI game, for all the good it did. Expect some more shuffling after this debacle.
3. Can Buffalo's top two lines continue to be productive?
The offensive chemistry that the top line found was evident again last night, as Cody Hodgson and Thomas Vanek hooked up for a would-be goal, except that Vanek's shot bounced off the crossbar and post and never crossed the line. They combined for five shots on the night, while the second line of Foligno-Ennis-Stafford added six of their own. Not bad, but these line combos need to be more productive for Buffalo to have a chance.
Three Stars
1. Chris Higgins - 1 goal, 5 shots
2. Ryan Stanton - 1 goal, 1 shot - clearly inferior
3. Roberto Luongo - Shutout
Comment of the Game
anyone hear mike robitaille
say, "these guys arent even ready for the game, like what the hell"
- Peter Faint
And that was before the game was really underway. Yeesh.