Another slow start dooms Buffalo.. again
Score: Sabres 1-2 Predators
Shots: BUF 35, NSH 29
Buffalo Sabres Goals: Olofsson (3)
Nashville Predators Goals: Forsberg (13), Trenin (5)
Minus 1: Haunted First Periods
Home, on the road, doesn’t matter, this team is simply not ready to play hockey games when the puck drops, and it’s squarely on the coaching at this point. How else can you explain first period scorelines of 0-2, 0-2, 1-3, 1-0, 0-4, and 0-1 in their last six games?
You would think a team that is 3-12-1 after giving up the first goal would focus on not giving up the first goal, but hey, what do we fans know?
Minus 2: Tuch-ing Injuries
The Buffalo Sabres offense is a pale shadow of what it was last season. In part that was some overperformance last season with a number of players shooting well above average, and partly the run-and-gun style the Sabres were playing. They have been more circumspect in building up this season, and it has shown in the more labored offense.
Losing the free-shooting Tage Thompson to injury has certainly hurt the Sabres. He’s still going to be out for another couple of weeks and while Dylan Cozens’ recent words about team toughness were good to hear, offensively he’s still been a no-show (three points in the last ten games). And now Buffalo will lose Alex Tuch for who knows how long after he looked to have pulled a hamstring tonight. Tuch had six points in five games going into tonight, and has long been one of the best shots the Sabres have of getting a goal on any given night. This one’s going to hurt, with Don Granato saying we’ll have more injury updates on Monday.
Plus 1: The Making of a Superstar
Rasmus Dahlin is such a joy to watch. Sure he didn’t have a great night defensively and was on the ice for both Preds goals, but his poise on the puck is really superstar material. Around his own goal he shrugged off the attentions of a forward draped all over him and then let off an incredible pass up the ice that led to Victor Olofsson getting a penalty shot – that was quite something. Criminal that he doesn’t get an assist for that one.
Tonight he played nearly 28 minutes, and that includes absolutely no time at all on the penalty kill (he drew the Sabres only penalty of the game) or the power play (the Sabres had none). He was on the ice for over six of the last ten minutes of the game as Buffalo looked to force the issue by finding a tying goal that just wouldn’t come.
The Swede is a cornerstone of the franchise and is certainly playing like it too, with his 20 points second on the team. Defensively he’s still got some work to do, but he leads the league in both time on ice and even strength time on ice, and is still only 23!
Final Thoughts
After the 12 shot debacle against New Jersey, the Sabres have bounced back well outshooting their opponents in four straight games now. However, the last three of those have all been defeats and the Sabres are sinking into a tailspin much like they did a couple of times last season. Buffalo are going to need all that vaunted leadership they’ve been talking about for some time now to break out of this slump and make sure this doesn’t turn into a playoff-busting streak.
Until they work it out though, I’m just enjoying watching Zach Benson doing things as an 18-year-old that grown men in the league still haven’t worked out. Not quite enjoying writing about the team as much, but that’s Buffalo for you.