Buffalo, N.Y. (WGR 550) - Following another week of up-and-down performances and a lack of a significant winning streak, the Buffalo Sabres' playoff hopes have been all but snuffed out with 27 games remaining in the 2023-24 regular season.
The Sabres currently sit 12 points out of the final Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference standings, and have lacked the ability to gain any ground on teams ahead of them in recent weeks.
A large part of Buffalo's problem has been a lack of stringing together more than just two wins in-a-row, and that can be attributed to the team's lack of finishing good offensive chances.
In Buffalo's 4-3 loss to the Anaheim Ducks on Monday afternoon at KeyBank Center, the Sabres put up 37 shots on goal against goalie John Gibson, but couldn't find an answer against the veteran in the final 20 minutes of play.
"Just looking at the chances last night, [Jordan] Greenway breakaway misses, Tage [Thompson] a breakaway, Tage five seconds or eight seconds later point blank in the slot missed, JJ Peterka point blank in the slot missed, JJ had a partial breakaway miss. I mentioned those, because they're all quality," said Sabres head coach Don Granato during his weekly appearance on the "Jeremy and Joe Show" on WGR. "They got all the way to the point where, OK, it's the shooter against the goaltender, so the process all the way up to that point worked, but the finish didn't."
Thompson, specifically, has had inconsistencies finding the back of the net this season. The 26-year-old scored 47 goals last season and was regarded as one of the best shooters in the NHL. However, he has yet to continue that scoring output this year.
"He puts a tremendous amount of pressure on himself. He has extremely high expectations of himself. That's why he had such an incredible year last year, and last couple of years after previous years of major adversity. I think this is a new territory for him, new expectations for him, within himself and even outside expectations," Granato said with Jeremy White and Sal Capaccio. "I think he's dealt with all of that, as all star players and blooming star players do. Again, I truly believe he'll come out the other side of this even better, and the hope is obviously the intent is to shorten that."
With another season spiraling down the drain, the relationship between the team and the fans has started to take a turbulent turn, as the environment at KeyBank Center in Downtown Buffalo seems to continue to get more-and-more toxic with the lack of continued success.
"When they do get booed, it hurts them. It hurts them because they care. If they didn't care, it wouldn't hurt. They take a lot of pride in being a Buffalo Sabre, I can tell you that for sure," Granato said. "I can remember the first times that happened where you would hear it. It hit the guy's hard for that reason, because they care, and they don't want to let anybody down. I think it affects them. I think it's just part of sports, and I think you just need to learn to deal with it. Things can't affect your play, even though they hurt you."
Hear more from Granato's appearance during the "Jeremy and Joe Show" available in the player below:
