You can never quite know what to expect from this Buffalo Sabres team. Even when they win, as they did over the Carolina Hurricanes a few days ago, it’s mired by some embarrassment like not officially registering a shot in the third period. One day they’re world-beaters, the next they’re the most embarrassing team in the NHL.
So, it was fitting that they went with the latter against the Pittsburgh Penguins. Not only did they lose to the Penguins 5-2, but they gave up a goalie goal to Alex Nedeljkovic in the process. Takeaways at this point aren’t so much about the individual game anymore as they are about the state of the franchise but let’s get into it anyways.
Sabres Shot the Puck!
After the repugnant third period against Carolina in which they somehow managed to hang onto a lead for once, the biggest criticism was the complete lack of shots in the final frame. The team didn’t officially register a shot despite scoring a goal. In fact, they became the first team to score a goal without registering a shot in a full period (it’s happened twice but those were in overtime).
The Sabres definitely shot the puck more against the Penguins, tallying 42 shots and matching Pittsburgh’s total in the third period alone. Then again, the Penguins only needed 19 shots to score four goals because Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen was flat-out awful.
While it’s great that they got their shot numbers up, most of them were nothing for Nedeljkovic to handle. This team is one of the worst in the league when it comes to generating high-danger chances and that continues. There is no grit, no hustle, and no fight in this team, so why would they make life on goaltenders difficult by being in front?
Sabres Have No Veteran Leadership
When you have talking heads openly calling to make bad decisions, it’s hard to pinpoint one specific thing that is wrong with a team. There are many things wrong with the Sabres at this stage in the season, so saying “this is the reason” is like saying one single hole is responsible for the collapsing dam.
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One of the most glaring issues with this team is a complete lack of veteran leadership. Has Dylan Cozens struggled in part because there is no one he can really look to? Sure, there are guys like Alex Tuch and Tage Thompson, but they are barely older than he is. There is no one grizzled on this team to lead.
The Sabres were the youngest team in the league as of opening night and it’s showing. In fact, of the 10 youngest teams in the league, seven of them are outside the playoff picture as of this moment. The Sabres have no one to help them weather storms or to lead them during down times and it is showing big time.
Where Do the Sabres Even Go From Here?
At this point, there’s a developed pattern. The Sabres beat someone they shouldn’t or at least play well enough to inspire a little hope, then go out and lay an egg in a game that should be winnable. On paper, this team has the kind of talent that should at least be competing for a playoff spot, yet here we are.
Everyone is calling for the heads of owner Terry Pegula and general manager Kevyn Adams, but we’ve been down this path several times in the last 13 seasons. Blowing it all up doesn’t feel like an option because it’s already been blown up repeatedly.
Unless the team magically pulls a huge winning streak out of its behind, this season is lost. There are jokes about this team being made comparing them to the Titanic, if you really want to know how well this season is going. Draft picks, prospects, and other traditional signs of hope mean nothing given the state of the franchise.
What’s Next for Buffalo?
The Sabres now move on to play the Seattle Kraken again, who just three games ago they led 2-0 only to see six unanswered goals go into their net. Just about everyone coming up on the schedule has left some horrible mark on the Sabres that was ultimately caused by their own ineptitude.
It’s getting harder and harder to write anything about this team without being 100% negative. They do very little in the way of positive, let alone win games. The hope was to at least be in contention for a playoff spot before letting everyone down but the Sabres barely made it past Thanksgiving before it became clear that they won’t even get close.
