Raleigh, NC (WGR 550) - The Buffalo Sabres have lost three straight games as they plummet into last place in the Eastern Conference. After a decent first period in Carolina on Saturday, the Sabres got out played in the second. Some of the reasons were overstaying shifts which cost them a goal, being outworked causing them not to be able to get in on the forecheck. Alex Tuch said they need to lock it down defensively at times.
Buffalo had chances to win this game. After falling behind 1-0, Noah Ostlund did a nice job on the wall and found Owen Power down the slot and the Sabres were able to leave the first period in good shape. It was Power’s first goal in 10 games.
In the second, Conor Timmins took a silly roughing penalty and Andrei Svechnikov made them pay.
The Sabres were pretty listless until right at the end when Bo Byram went in alone, but the puck slid off his stick. It came out to Timmins who hit the post and Pyotr Kochetkov made sure Byram didn’t score on the rebound. You get a goal there you head in down just 3-2 and the first 29 seconds of the third period doesn’t put you away.
To start the third, former Sabre Eric Robinson blows by Byram and scores on Alex Lyon on a goal he’d want back. Buffalo took the game over after that with three lines dominating the offensive zone and forechecking hard. It paid off in goals for Alex Tuch and Tage Thompson, but the Sabres pressed hard to tie the game showing good effort, but they weren’t able to.
It astounds me how bad the Sabres are 6-on-5. They get scored on almost every time they pull the goaltender. Last season they led the NHL in empty net goals against and with six this season, they lead in that category again.
They don’t work to win battles on 6-on-5 and it makes me wonder if they’d just be better off leaving the goalie in.
The Sabres have lost 11 straight games in Carolina and are 0-2-1 in their last three games. Heading to Utah, Colorado and Detroit next week on a three game losing streak is an absolute disaster. Chances are very good they come home on a six-game losing streak or five losses in six games which would once again all but eliminate them from playoff contention before Thanksgiving.
Before the game Lindy Ruff said he told the players it would be nice if they won a game for their captain Rasmus Dahlin. I will just leave it there.