Disgraceful second period effort, lackluster game sinks Buffalo
Score: Buffalo Sabres 2-4 Anaheim Ducks
Shots: BUF 36-30 ANA
Buffalo Sabres Goals: Greenway (5), Okposo (9)
Anaheim Ducks Goals: Silfverberg (3,4), Carrick (7), Henrique (15-EN)
Minus 1: Yikes.
The Sabres played badly against a bad team, and there’s no excuse for it. You’re playing a team that’s only won 15 games this season. It’s the start of a road trip where you could grab six huge points while still hanging on to playoff hopes. And yet…. that happened. Particularly damning was the second period, where the Sabres went from down 1-0 to down 3-0 and were outshot by a 19-6 margin. It was mistake after mistake, and that just can’t happen.
Minus 1: Want Your First Point? Play the Sabres.
Am I the only one who feels like the Sabres give up a lot of first goals/first points? Maybe not as much as they used to, but it felt inevitable when I heard that Olen Zellweger was making his NHL debut. I just knew he’d get something on the board, and sure enough, he notched his first point with an assist on Sam Carrick’s goal early in the second period.
Minus 1: A 5-Minute Effort.
The Sabres finally turned on their engines with just over five minutes left in the game. If only they’d played with that spark and energy all night, perhaps the end result would’ve been different. Buffalo was down 3-0 with six minutes left in regulation. Greenway & Okposo found the net late, including Greenway’s power play goal, to make the final score at least appear respectable on paper.
Final Thoughts
No excuses. The Sabres have to be better, and there’s no rest for the weary as they’re right back at it in Los Angeles tonight. (Whoops, an earlier version of this said the Sabres played in San Jose tonight.)