After more than 10 months away from playing in game action, the Buffalo Sabres returned to the ice on Thursday night to open the 2020-21 regular season.
The Sabres did not get off to the greatest of starts in a 6-4 loss to the Capitals on Thursday, but the team rebounded well against Washington the following night, despite losing 2-1 on home ice.
However, Buffalo really kicked their game into gear on Monday in the team's first road trip of the season against the Philadelphia Flyers. The offense exploded for six goals on the night, two while on the man advantage, while Buffalo played a very complete game in a 6-1 throttling at Wells Fargo Center.
While players like Jack Eichel, Eric Staal and Jeff Skinner have yet to find the back of the net, they are still finding ways to produce quality scoring chances on a nightly basis. Meanwhile, the rest of the team has stepped up to the plate to get in on the scoring action, with players like Curtis Lazar and Sam Reinhart contributing with two goals each on Monday against the Flyers.
While Buffalo is only 1-2-0 to start the 2020-21 campaign, there is no time to take the foot off the gas with a 53 games remaining of a 56-game schedule this season. The Sabres are going to need to find ways to string together some wins and put themselves in a position to contend for a top-four spot in the East Division.
Sabres head coach Ralph Krueger has orchestrated this team's approach to the 2020-21 season, and has been very impressed with the way his team came together on such short notice.
Krueger took the time to join Howard Simon and Jeremy White on Tuesday for the first of his weekly appearances on WGR. He talked about his team's performance on Monday in Philadelphia, while also what he's looking for from his group going forward in the coming games.
Here is some of what Krueger had to say:
Krueger on how his group has come together over the past few weeks:
"We really like the development already in Game 2 against Washington, but the offense went dry and we weren't able to use the chances that were there. We were pleased, as a coaching staff, that the group continued and persevered through that emotional stretch in the last couple of days of not getting that win. [We] really reacted and stayed with the game plan right through 60 minutes, which is really tough at this time of the year after the long break. We were pleased with the consistency of our performance, and that the offense ignited and was able to show what we have in us. We know we're stronger offensively, but you've got to prove it every night in this division. We did that last night."
Krueger on what the team needs to focus on going forward:
"We know we have something good going on here, but our division is ruthless. The game tonight will be that much more difficult because of the win yesterday, but the reason it was challenging was we didn't have any exhibition games. Without those games, you didn't really get a trial or a dress rehearsal. After the two Washington games, we seemed to have found our game, and now it's all about trying to find that consistency, solidifying the game and confirming it tonight."
Krueger on the effectiveness of the Hall-Eichel-Reinhart line:
"Watching how Taylor has bought in to what we're doing here, and his natural synergy with Jack is something that we wanted to try. We did it in the middle of the second game already, and you can just see the three of them are such smart, skilled, talented players. It'll be difficult to slow them down. Victor Olofsson would do very well there too. We've got other players that could run through there, but at the moment, Sam, Taylor and Jack, that works for us. How exciting is that for our fans to see them in action? It was really entertaining to watch that last night."
Krueger on the chemistry between Eichel and Hall from Day 1:
"[Taylor] is a world-class passer. That's something that everybody would only think of him only as a scorer, but just like Jack Eichel, both of them are capable of threading needles that is hard to understand. Yesterday there was a few passes going through bodies and sticks that very few players can make. That uncertainty of 'is he going to shoot or is he going to pass?' on both of their sticks makes it very difficult to defend against. It's like Josh Allen, trying to figure him out whether he's going to run or he's going to pass. It's a similar situation with Jack and Taylor.
Krueger on the play of rookie Dylan Cozens:
"Dylan is just somebody who we, as an organization, our fan base needs to really look forward to watching [him play]. He's just got a very complete package. He's got an amazing foot speed to him, an amazing ability to get himself positioned properly on both sides of the puck, which is not something you'd expect from somebody who's so young. You can see he was with us 18 months ago, and he's taken the time and really learned to develop and grow. His game is much more mature than what it was. He's got great wheels on him, and we're excited to work with him every day. He's such an open-minded young man, and really fits into the group culturally too."
Krueger on the success of the Buffalo Bills in the playoffs:
"It's just a fantastic journey for everybody. All the Bills fans, ownership, the players are so deserving of what's going on, and we can only cheer for them and wish them further success. One step away from a Super Bowl; how amazing is that just to be in this position? You can feel the honest, friendly, positive heartbeat of the Buffalo fan base in sports, and we're feeding off that too here. We can just feel how much it means to everybody. ... I wish them all the best that they keep it rolling. They're having a lot of fun, and I think that's the key - they're spreading the fun."
You can listen to the entire interview below: