Sabres vs. Blue Jackets Preview: Maybe The Blue Jackets Can Help Us Get A Win
The Buffalo Sabres need a win on home ice to get over their current two game losing streak. They may have the perfect team in town to do that with the Columbus Blue Jackets. The Blue Jackets have the worst record in the National Hockey League at 1-7-1 and just recently earned their first win against the Detroit Red Wings on Tuesday night.
The Sabres struggled to maintain a lead against the Lightning on Tuesday night as they started the game strong with a 2-0 lead and then eventually lost to Tampa 4-3. Much of the Sabres offensive struggles came on the power play where the team has dropped to 15th overall in the league with a 16% conversion rate. The Sabres recently restructured the power play units on Tuesday and only generated three shots on goal in their three chances. Now, the team is looking to make other changes to try and generate some offense. Here is what Lindy Ruff had to say about how crucial the power play is:
"If you get in the zone, you set it up and you execute, you give yourself a chance to score, it lifts the team," Sabres coach Lindy Ruff said. "If you go outside those parameters and just have a terrible power play, the building goes a little bit quiet, the bench gets a little bit down. That's the effect it has on you."
As we had mentioned before, the Blue Jackets got their first win of the season against the Detroit Red Wings and temporarily it gives head coach Scott Arniel a reprieve from the hot seat. Arniel is in his second season coaching the Blue Jackets and has had a dismal record in the process with a 35-42-14 record with Columbus. Arniel is well known by Sabres fans as he played for the team for four seasons and spent another four years as an assistant coach for the Sabres.
As a reminder for Sabres fans heading to the arena, tonight is Hockey Fights Cancer night and the Sabres are going to be teaming up with Roswell Park. Fans can buy special autographed New Era hats in the arena as well as Ryan Miller sockey caps which will be sold online. If you aren't interested in that, you can text the word CURE to 501501 to give $5 dollars to Roswell Park before, during or after the game as well.