Sabres Implode Yet Again Against the Avs
Score: Buffalo Sabres 5-6 Colorado Avalanche OT
Shots: BUF 21-29 COL
Buffalo Sabres Goals: Zucker (12) Byram (5) Zucker (13) Benson (7) Zucker (14)
Colorado Avalanche Goals: Makar (12) Colton (12) Rantanen (22) Makar (13) Drouin (3) Toews (3)
The Bills have Wide Right and The Music City Miracle. The Sabres big hurt will always be No Goal. But these two soul crushing losses to Colorado this year may just end the Buffalo Sabres as we know them. First the Keybank Collapse now the Rocky Mountain Meltdown. Two wins ripped right out of this team’s chest. Our endlessly struggling Sabres may never recover from these defeats. I think we are all beyond battered and beaten with the new and inventive ways this team loses. Colorado skates away with a 6-5 OT win over Buffalo in this one.
Plus 1: Solid Opening Frame
After an uneventful and evenly played opening 10 minutes, Buffalo finally got things going on the power play. Alex Tuch helped sell a high stick from Colorado’s Josh Manson and the Sabres cashed in soon after. This man advantage featured some nice passing and keep ins along the way. Unsung hero Jason Zucker slammed home a pass from Jack Quinn across the crease in front of goalie Scott Wedgewood. It was Zucker’s 12th tally of the year. Tage Thompson picked up an assist on the play as well.
Buffalo made it 2-0 at the 17:10 mark with a big late goal. Former Avalanche defender Bo Byram took a sweet dish from Zucker and beat Wedgewood in all alone. His backhand shot just sneaked pass the Colorado goalie’s skate. Dylan Cozens made a nice play in the neutral zone to spring Zucker and Byram on the goal. Colorado finished the period with a few good chances on Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen. The Buffalo goalie had some nice saves and was helped along with a shot off the post.
The Sabres has some good breakouts in this period and had a strong forecheck. They went 1 for 1 on the power play as well and out shot the Avalanche 10-9. Even more amazing, Buffalo brought their A game on the draw. The Sabres finishes the 1st period at nearly 70 percent on the dot. Certainly a nice turnaround after that face off schooling in Dallas.
Plus 2: Zuckermania is Running Wild
After 2 points in the 1st, Jason Zucker first drew a crosschecking penalty against Ross Colton midway through the 2nd. He then proceeded to score his 2nd PP goal and 3rd point to give Buffalo a 3-0 lead right after. Tage Thompson and Rasmus Dahlin picked up the helpers on the play. The smooth, crisp pass from Tage to Zuck was a thing of beauty. That may have been one of Thompson’s best passes in the NHL.
Colorado then had a goal called back on a clear offsides. A wise challenge by Buffalo head coach Lindy Ruff. The Avs did score later in the period on a near unstoppable play by Cale Makar. The Sabres looked a little shaky before and after that goal as Colorado was gaining some momentum. That Keybank Collapse may have been dancing in the Buffalo player’s heads. The Avs took the shot lead after 2 periods, 18-17. But our home town team was still up by 2 goals.
Minus 1 2 3 4 and 5: All Hell Breaks Loose
Colorado closed the gap early with a quick goal but Zach Benson scored soon after. The controversial goal stood after Benny was whipped around by an Avs defender, falling on Wedgewood’s leg. The goalie was injured but Buffalo still had puck control. Benson got it back and wrapped it around into the net. The review stood as did the goalie interference challenge. Colorado’s fans and players were furious and the resulting hostility in the arena seemed to influence the referee after that. Buffalo went down 2 men quickly and Colorado’s Mikko Rantanen scored his 22nd of the year. The Avalanche again pulled within one goal. But Jason Zucker then scored his third of the night to put Buffalo up 5-3, an amazing performance from him. He, along with Thompson (3 assists) carried the offense for the Sabres. But as the fans have grown to endure this year, Buffalo could not hold the lead yet again. The collapse was eminent, we all saw it coming. The Sabres suddenly couldn’t win a draw to save their lives. Panic was creeping in and they starting cheating to get the puck out. There was virtually no offense for Buffalo. The team that is afraid to lose once again did, playing cowardly hockey for most of the third. Colorado scored 2 goals in the final 3 minutes, including their 5th with just 8 seconds left to tie it. The Sabres were completely demoralized and all the good things they did in the first two periods was lost. The Avs had all the momentum and scored less than a minute into OT. Another meltdown for the ages.
Final Thoughts
The heartache and frustration this fan base has had to endure is beyond comprehension. There is good talent in our core, young and older. But what we have assembled here isn’t anything close to a working machine that makes up a true team. The heart, grit and determination isn’t there. These players are so fragile, physically and emotionally. They play afraid and the results show that on a nightly basis.
While the collapse had team wide blame, UPL did them no favors. He gave up 6 goals on just 29 shots. He did have some good saves in the game and was screened on at least 2 of the goals. But he looked entirely ordinary at best. He also gave up the goal that would be ruled offsides. Not a strong outing from the Buffalo goalie after a good first period.
Comment of the game: After the winning goal in OT, Dont Blame Me had this to say… Something we all felt probably. “That’s right get off the ice losers.”