What is there left to say about a franchise that hasn’t made the playoffs in 13 seasons and is mired in the midst of a double-digit losing streak? The Buffalo Sabres entered Friday on an 11-game losing streak, hoping to secure its first win in a month.
Since owner Terry Pegula reportedly met with the team, things have only gotten worse. They were shelled by the Montreal Canadiens 6-1, leading into Friday’s battle with their division rivals, the Toronto Maple Leafs. As you may have guessed by now, the streak is up to 12 games. Let’s get right into the takeaways from the 6-3 loss to the Maple Leafs.
Sabres’ Shooters Make Opposing Goalies Look Good
It’s been something of a trope among Sabres fans this season, but this team has a knack for making backup and sparsely used goaltenders look like Vezina Trophy candidates in their prime. Never mind the fact that Matt Murray hasn’t won a game in forever, he instantly looked great against the Sabres.
Murray won his first game in 628 days, which feels fitting for this season. By the time the third period rolled around, it was 5-2 Maple Leafs, and nothing mattered anymore. Murray finished by turning aside 24 of 27 shots on the night to get the job done.
This underscores the Sabres’ inability to generate high-danger chances on a regular basis. Shots on goal are fine but when they mostly come from areas where the goaltender has a chance to track them and get in position, those totals don’t matter much.
Owen Power Is Having a Strong Season Despite Not Having a Real Partner
There have been a lot of things wrong in Buffalo for a long time. We have been promised saviors before, uber prospects who were sure to save the franchise. None of those panned out and some of them have been spectacular failures that set the franchise back years.
Related: Revisiting the Sabres’ Failed 2015 Draft Class
Knock on wood, Owen Power seems to be coming into his own. Yes, his net-front defense (like the rest of the team’s) is porous. Yes, he loses battles that he probably shouldn’t given his size. But he plays with a level of poise that most young defensemen don’t, and his offensive game has emerged this season.
He contributed a goal and an assist against the Maple Leafs on Friday and is well on pace to eclipse virtually all of his career highs. Management and the fan base will be searching for something positive to take away from this season and they can start by looking in Power’s direction.
Goaltending Is Failing
For almost two months, it felt like the Sabres had at least found their answer in net. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen was a legitimate top-10 goaltender for much of the season. Now, the bottom has fallen out on goaltending as well and the Sabres have exactly zero positives to point to.
Luukkonen was pulled for the second consecutive game. He gave up all six in the loss to the Canadiens a few days ago and allowed four goals on 13 shots in just over a period of play against the Maple Leafs. His season is now as ugly as the collective effort in Buffalo at this stage.
If the goaltending is a problem, there is no telling how long this streak runs. They can’t hold a lead, can’t score on the power play, can’t defend on the penalty kill, and can’t create high-danger chances, but at least they had goaltending. Now, that’s gone, too.
Where Is the Wakeup Call for Ownership?
It was just two games ago that the message from Pegula was reported: “The fix is in the room.” It is very clear by now that the fix is not in the room. With games coming against the Boston Bruins, New York Islanders, St. Louis Blues, Dallas Stars, Colorado Avalanche, Vegas Golden Knights, and Washington Capitals, it isn’t out of the realm of possibility to think this streak can beat the 18-game NHL record.
There is virtually no fight in this team as a whole, just pockets of visible frustration. They can’t come together in any meaningful way. Threats may only encourage them to be worse because it might mean a ticket out of town. Even the hope for a high draft pick feels pointless given the last 13 years of drafting. This is truly the worst the franchise has ever been.
