Boston, Mass. (WGR Sports Radio 550) - I don’t understand how a hockey team that is supposed to be committed to getting better and making the playoffs can talk all through training camp about how much better they’ll be, then start the season like this.
The Buffalo Sabres have talked about getting off to a fast start since April, and it took them over 109 minutes to score their first and only goal of the season.
Opening night was a pretty good defensive effort against the New York Rangers, but offensively, they were timid and played on the perimeter in a 4-0 loss. It was pretty much a 1-0 game throughout until forward Peyton Krebs turned the puck over along the wall, leading to a goal from Rangers defenseman Carson Soucy with 5:14 left.
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In Boston, the first period was as pathetic as it gets.
This did not look like a team fighting to get out of a 14-year playoff slump. Quite frankly, it looked like a team trying to get either their general manager, coach or both fired.
Your best players have to be your best players, but they haven’t even been close to good enough. Josh Norris - for the 55 minutes he played - Tage Thompson, Alex Tuch and Rasmus Dahlin haven’t been remotely good enough.
"On any team, your best players have to be your best players. It was not a good night for them," said head coach Lindy Ruff following the loss Saturday.
Alex Lyon made 16 saves in the first period, as Buffalo got outshot, 17-2. That was as unacceptable of an effort as I’ve seen in a long time from everyone except Lyon.
Buffalo couldn’t win a battle, and simply got outworked easily all period.
"We had to raise our level of compete. I thought our compete was terrible," said a furious Ruff. "The worst competing and skating with moving our feet that I’ve seen, so we didn’t change anything. You’ve got to compete."
This was Game 2 and period No. 4 in a season where all they’ve talked about is how much better they’re going to be. How does that happen?
"It’s not the guy that has the puck, it’s the guy away from it," Ruff said. "I thought we played some 1-on-1 hockey. We didn’t move our feet, we didn’t win races for the puck. You know the start of the game when everyone has energy, it’s hard hockey and we lost the battle."
Through it all, the Sabres were only down one goal until Sean Kuraly tapped home the empty netter with three seconds left on the clock.
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Ruff talked about how they did improve somewhat as the game went on, and got, at least, a few chances. However, they weren’t really even close on Jeremy Swayman.
"I think you saw in the third period, when we started getting pucks to the net, even from tough angles, we got some bounces," Ruff said. "We had Krebs in the slot alone, we had 'Dahls' [Dahlin] in the slot alone and we didn’t connect.
"We’re too much on the fancy side. Until we put the boots on and go to work, and realize the only way you’re going to win hockey games in this league is outwork the other team."
I get this team has too many injuries, but effort and hard work has nothing to do with Norris, Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, Michael Kesselring, Zach Benson and Jordan Greenway being out of the lineup.
Hard work and compete comes from the heart, and if they’re willing, any player can do it.
I honestly don’t understand how after everything owner Terry Pegula heard all offseason from management, coaches and the players, he thinks that effort in Game 2 of the season after losing the home opener, 4-0, is even remotely acceptable. Something continues to be broken here, but he must think what he’s seeing is OK.
Things don’t get any easier for Game 3, as the 2-0-1 Colorado Avalanche come to town Monday afternoon.
Last season in December, Buffalo built a 4-0 lead just 11:49 into the game, but lost to the Avalanche, 5-4. The next month in Denver, the Sabres took a 3-0 lead and held it until the 14:58 mark of the second period. Buffalo lost that game in overtime, 6-5.
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Colorado opened the season with a 4-1 win over the Los Angeles Kings, followed by a 2-1 win over the Utah Mammoth. However, their most recent contest saw the Avalanche falling in a shootout to the Dallas Stars, 5-4.
In three games, Nate MacKinnon has two goals and four assists for six points, while Marty Necas has three goals and three assists for six points.
Scott Wedgewood played all three games for the Avalanche and has a 1.95 goals-against average and a .925 save percentage.
At the other end, Alex Lyon has a 2.55 goals-against average and a .919 save percentage.
Join Brian Koziol and myself for pregame coverage on The Bet 1520, starting Monday at 11:30 a.m.