Buffalo, N.Y. (WGR Sports Radio 550) - Two floundering teams will meet on Monday, as the Buffalo Sabres host the Detroit Red Wings.
The Wings are on a five-game losing streak, going 0-3-2. Meanwhile, Buffalo has lost six straight games, going 0-4-2, and have lost five-straight at home and 6-of-7 on home ice.
Detroit has lost 5-of-6 on the road.
The Sabres are playing their 28th game on Monday, and head coach Lindy Ruff has reached the end of his rope, especially with his top-two centers.
Tage Thompson has three goals in three games, while Dylan Cozens' offense has perked up with three goals in seven games. It’s not that end of the ice that Ruff has a problem with, though.
"I thought he started off really slowly. I thought he’s gained some traction, offensively, the puck is starting to go in the net for him. Defensively, I think he’s struggled, and that’s the area I’m really trying to help him," said Ruff of Cozens on Monday after the morning skate.
As for Thompson, Ruff says h’s had some reads he’s really struggled with.
"We’ve spent the last few days trying to simplify this. It’s here’s your sort out, here’s your read, we can’t give up what we gave up," he said. "Our centermen inside this system have a lot of work to do. Tage Thompson has a lot of work to do. I’ve asked those guys personally if this is too hard, I’ll put you on the wing. That’s for Dylan and that’s for Tage. So 20-some games is enough that if you can’t make the read, then you’ve got to go to the wing."
Just by listening to Ruff recently, he is well aware that he has a mentally fragile team.
"It comes down to how hard it is again. We’ve talked about the odd-numbered rushes we’ve had in overtime, to win the game. We talked to overtime against [Vancouver], we didn’t have the puck much, but we had that one glorious opportunity. But don’t succumb to, 'Why didn’t it go in?' Don’t succumb to the moral victories. How about we have to do a little more, put the work ahead of anything else, don’t succumb to, 'I have to cave in on the backcheck because it didn’t go in for me,'" said Ruff.
“We gave up that [3-on-2 rush with Cozens, JJ Peterka and Zach Benson], they gave us the opportunity to score. But because we didn’t score doesn’t mean you can’t come back and stop in your end."
Ruff also mentioned that the defense is moving the puck too slow to get out of the zone. He felt his defense didn’t play well against Utah.
Ryan Johnson is a puck-moving defenseman, and he’ll likely play on Monday for Dennis Gilbert.
Ruff wouldn’t confirm his lineup other than to say if Jordan Greenway got through the morning skate, he’ll be back. He’s missed 10 games due to injury, and the Sabres have desperately missed what he brings to the table.
If you go by who got the extra work in the morning skate, Jack Quinn will be out again for Buffalo.
Ruff wouldn’t confirm, but things are pointing to James Reimer being in net.
Last year, Reimer played 25 games for Detroit, going 11-8-2 with a 3.11 goals-against average and a .904 save percentage. This year, he’s 1-3-0 with a 3.29 goals-against average and an .890 save percentage.
With the Sabres, Reimer is 1-1-0 with a 2.05 goals-against average and a .923 save percentage.
Ruff says captain Rasmus Dahlin is taking part in rehab skates, and has a chance to return by the weekend.
The Sabres beat Detroit, 5-3, in Buffalo back on Oct. 26, but lost to the Red Wings in Detroit, 2-1, on Nov. 2.
Related
Ville Husso has played the last four games for Detroit because of an injury to Cam Talbot. Husso is 0-4-2 with a 3.39 goals-against average and an .884 save percentage.
Lucas Raymond leads Detroit with 10 goals and 18 assists for 28 points in 27 games.
Join Brian Koziol, Pat Malacaro and myself for pregame coverage on WGR starting at 6 p.m. EST when you’ll hear from Ruff, Johnson and Greenway.