Buffalo, N.Y. (WGR Sports Radio 550) - It’s not difficult to figure out why the Buffalo Sabres lost Monday night to the Florida Panthers.
Buffalo got behind 2-0, but worked to tie it up by 12:37 of the second period. At that point, it’s a game where they have to be thinking, "Let’s get, at least, a point out of this one."
However, two things cost the Sabres in this game, one problem was an old problem that is driving head coach Lindy Ruff out of his mind, and another cropped up for the first time on Monday.
This team continues to be one of the most penalized teams in the NHL, and it was a huge reason why they lost to the defending Stanley Cup champions. Buffalo took the first three penalties of the game, and gave up a power play goal in the process.
With seven minutes left and down a goal, their captain Rasmus Dahlin seemed to lose his head and took an insanely stupid slashing penalty, which the Panthers scored on to make it 4-2.
You just can’t take a penalty there, especially with it coming from your captain and a penalty of that nature.
The other problem was twice the Sabres collapsed two men on one Panthers player, leaving another wide-open in front for goals.
Related
Dahlin was in front with Sam Reinhart, while Mattias Samuelsson had great coverage along the back wall on Aleksander Barkov. For some reason, Dahlin left Reinhart alone in front and went to where Samuelsson was with Barkov.
Florida’s captain put a gorgeous backhand pass out to the former Sabres forward, and it was in the net before Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen could blink.
During his postgame press conference with the media, Ruff called that play by Dahlin a "careless gamble".
On the game-winning goal late in the second period, Tage Thompson was skating hard back with Carter Verhaeghe. Thompson peeled off and went to a guy in front that was already covered, leaving Verhaeghe by himself with Luukkonen. Matthew Tkachuk’s shot was stopped by Luukkonen, but the uncovered Verhaeghe easily capitalized on the rebound.
Ruff said that game was right there for them, but they just weren’t good enough to take it. He was really annoyed by the numerous odd-man rushes given up, and how they killed themselves with penalties.
"We have to do a better job at staying out of the box," added winger Jason Zucker following the loss.
Buffalo is still 4-2-1 in its last seven games, and in three games against the Panthers and Dallas Stars, they came out 2-1-0. You’d certainly sign up for that.
The New York Islanders come to town next on Friday night.