As the season draws to a close, there are a few consistent talking points when it comes to the Buffalo Sabres. Facing off against the Ottawa Senators, the natural focus is on the trade deadline move that swapped Josh Norris and Dylan Cozens.
Rather than letting the narrative continue to add negativity to the Sabres’ season, the home team decided to get the best of the Senators yet again. There are a few noteworthy takes here, so let’s get into the takeaways from the Sabres’ 3-2 win over the Senators.
Playing Spoiler
There is very little left to play for this season. The offseason is the great unknown at this point, but finishing with a little bit of momentum would be nice. Given how many teams are competing for a wild card spot right now, it is a prime opportunity for the Sabres to play the spoiler.
Tage Thompson continues to play well against the Senators, a team the Sabres are shockingly 3-0 against this season. Thompson scored again, scoring his 28th 5-on-5 goal of the season, the most for a Sabre since they started tracking advanced statistics in 2007.
There isn’t much left in terms of good vibes for this team. That said, being able to potentially snatch a playoff spot from a rival like the Senators would be nice. The teams will meet up again on April 1, and the Sabres will attempt to devastate the Senators’ playoff chances once again.
Reimer Solid Again
Getting his second consecutive start, James Reimer had an excellent performance against one of the best teams in the NHL in the Winnipeg Jets, carrying the Sabres to a 5-3 win. Given how the fan base has felt about him and his performance this season, it was nice to see him step in and have such a great game.
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That’s why it feels like playing with house money when he turned in another impressive performance against the Senators. He faced flurries at times but managed to turn aside 30 of the 32 shots he faced on the night, a key figure in the win.
There’s no grand takeaway here. Reimer is likely moving on with his career when the season ends, but it is nice to see him show up with a couple of really good performances. Momentum is critical when it comes to the end of this season, no matter how we get there.
The Penalty Kill Doesn’t Get Enough Flack
The power play has rightfully been talked about ad nauseam. Given how much talent this team has offensively, it is absolutely baffling that it would be near the bottom of the barrel for the second season in a row. That said, the penalty kill isn’t getting enough criticism.
Sure, the penalty kill isn’t ranked as poorly as the power play, sitting currently at 21st in the league at 76.4%. But there have been multiple games – this one included – where it couldn’t get the job done, and it either directly or nearly cost the Sabres the game.
Special teams, along with the inability to hold a lead, continues to be an Achilles’ heel. If the Sabres are serious about making it back to the playoffs, they need to get things right on special teams. Even becoming a middle-of-the-road team in both categories could be the difference maker.
Just Focus on the Next Game
There is no point looking ahead for this team. Instead, take it a game at a time, trying to focus on building some kind of positive momentum heading into the offseason. The Sabres get the Senators and the Columbus Blue Jackets again before the season ends, so there will be other chances to play spoiler.
Going better than .500 would be nice over the remaining dozen games. Facing the Washington Capitals, Tampa Bay Lightning (twice), Carolina Hurricanes, Florida Panthers, and Toronto Maple Leafs will make it tough. Hopefully, the Sabres can have an impact on the playoffs even if they can’t be in it themselves.
