The Buffalo Sabres have not had the hot start to the season that they were hoping for as they currently sit with a 5-5-0 record. While playing at a .500 win rate is not bad, there was so much more expected of them. Slow starts from their star forwards, and poor defensive play put some strain on the goaltenders, but as the season turned over to November, there looks to be some better play on the near horizon.
The goaltending situation appears to be much better, and the defensive support is showing up more consistently. With these issues being addressed early on, it has allowed the offensive players to learn a transition-based offensive system that allows them to use their speed and skill to score. There are still some things that can be improved, but going into this month, the Sabres are on the right track.
Star Players Finally Get Going
To start the season, it was a rough showing for the likes of Tage Thompson, Alex Tuch, Dylan Cozens, and JJ Peterka. All of them were struggling to finish their chances or to even make chances happen in the first place, and it was difficult for the rest of the team to score without them. The only offensive players who were producing well were Rasmus Dahlin and Jeff Skinner, and they have had continued success to this point.
Tuch and Thompson were the most noticeable offensive absences every night, but as of four games ago, they have both picked up their pace and production. Thompson and Tuch both only had one point through the first six games, and that just wasn’t enough from potential 80 and 100-point players. Cozens has simply struggled to get consistency in his game due to a strange deployment of his ice time by Don Granato, but despite that, he still has solid numbers (three goals, seven points).
JJ Peterka Is Standing Out With Casey Mittelstadt
A line combination that has been working wonders is the likes of Peterka, Casey Mittelstadt, and Jeff Skinner. The three of them have been feeding off of one another, and the goal-scoring has been electric. So far, Skinner leads the team with 10 points in 10 games, Mittelstadt is tied for second with nine points, and Peterka has five points. The chemistry has been looking fantastic between them, and they even were a big part of the team’s most recent win against the Philadelphia Flyers, as they combined for this great passing play:
Mittelstadt has shown that he has earned his second-line role, and he is no longer a background player. He is easily one of the Sabres’ best forwards right now, and he has been a dynamic playmaker who can play with the best in the league. It has been a long time coming for him, and his success will only help another young player in Peterka. Peterka looks determined and hungry this season, and his current success is a result of that. His four goals are currently good for second on the team, and as the season progresses, he will only continue to rack up more goals. The way he has been shooting, I would not be shocked to see him finish with over 30 goals, making him one of the biggest breakout candidates for this season.
The Forwards Need To Continue Supporting The Defense
The biggest key to the Sabres’ recent success is the fact that they are getting good defensive support from the forward group. Now, that is not to take away anything from what Eric Comrie and Ukko Pekka Luukkonen have done in recent weeks, but it certainly makes their jobs easier if the team is committed to playing good defense before they transition to offense. After Erik Johnson called out the team for not playing enough defense, the rest of the group seems to have taken that to heart and has been steadily improving in that department.
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The Sabres have a poor track record in recent seasons in November, and now they have the opportunity to clear that curse and replace it with some winning streaks. The key to staying in the playoff hunt will be to go on a few small win streaks, and minimize the amount of games they lose in a row. Extended losing streaks of 3-5 or more games will kill their chances early on, so they need to continue their positive trends while mitigating any negative trends. This team is right on the cusp of doing something great and exciting, but they first need to get their consistency going. The offense is charged, the defense is improving, and the goaltending has looked solid. All these positives can lead to the Sabres getting an early hold on a playoff position, they just need to keep putting in the work.
