Buffalo, N.Y. (WGR 550) - The Buffalo Sabres are closing in on year 14 of their playoff drought with only six games remaining in the 2024-25 regular season. The team hosts the Carolina Hurricanes on Tuesday night at 7 o’clock.
Sabres head coach Lindy Ruff joined the 'Jeremy and Joe Show' for his weekly appearance on Tuesday morning. With the season drawing to a close, there was much talk about how the Sabres could potentially use this strong finish as a foundation for next season.
"I think it means a lot because we're working on our game. I've said this, our goal is to try to win every game. It isn't to develop players or see players, our goal is play the type of hockey that we can sustain and be consistent with. So we've had a few periods here and there where last game, first period wasn't a good period. We've been a good first period team. You sustain the type of hockey that you can win a lot more than you lose, and thats what this stretch is all about is improving the areas that hurt us when we weren't going so well, improving areas that even when you're missing key players, you can still win hockey games. Our goal every night is to play a brand of hockey that's going to help us win a hockey game."
Along with the Sabres establishing winning ways late in the year, the team has also showcased their elite conditioning late into the season. One of the things that Ruff has emphasized since returning to Buffalo has been a team's need for conditioning and it's importance in an offseason.
"When you have the time that we're going to have as players, your season is done April, you take a couple weeks off you've got basically four months to improve your game, improve your engine, elite conditioning, be a better athlete when you come back at the start of September. That would make you faster, quicker, stronger on pucks. When you're as young as you are, and we have a lot of those players, we're young. I mean, we're maybe not young in a game sense, but we're young in age sense, where you can make terrific gains as a player. I think that's an area that we can vastly improve."
Tage Thompson has once again broken the 40 goal mark for the second time in the last three seasons and even has the potential to reach 50 goals. One of the main differences between this season and last season for Thompson has been the change from the center position to the wing.
"Obviously he put together a real good year. Was injured there for part of the time, which slowed him down. I think the key is the combination with him, playing with Kulich, has been something that has helped them. I think moving him around a little bit on the power play has helped him, where they just can't fit on them. I think most teams know what a great shot he's got, so they just keep him in one spot, it makes it a little bit tougher. But I think Tage is finding a lot of different ways to score goals."
Puck drop against the Hurricanes on Tuesday is slated for 7 p.m., with pregame starting at 6 p.m. with Schopp and the Bulldog on the radio home of the Sabres - WGR Sports Radio 550.