Buffalo, New York — In a different context, Tuesday night’s 2-1 setback by the Buffalo Sabres to the Dallas Stars would be simpler to accept. With 83 shot attempts and 48 shots on goal in their first game following the break, the Sabres showed plenty of positive signs. Goalie Jake Oettinger, an All-Star for the Stars, had one of his best games of the year and helped his side escape Buffalo with a point.
If the Sabres had played more games like this one in their first 50 games, it would be very easy to write off. However, the Sabres’ inability to extend their winning streak to three games serves as the backdrop for this defeat. They haven’t won more than two games in a row this season. They have the third-worst points % in the Eastern Conference and are 10 points out of the final wild-card position. They haven’t regularly played games like the one they did on Tuesday, which is why they are in this position.
This season, the Sabres have been extremely frustrated, according to coach Don Granato. “I consider frustration in other contexts, and it’s very different. We were not where we are today. We are considerably more confident and convinced. I have no concerns about guys becoming irritated at the moment. Angry is perhaps a far better word to use than annoyed, in my opinion.
Thus, in the locker room, adjectives like “frustrating” are bandied about after a defeat such as that one. That seemed to be undervaluing this one, though.
Rasmus Dahlin, a defenseman, stated, “I’m more than pissed off.”
The Sabres are getting closer to the fact that they will miss the playoffs for the thirteenth time running with each loss. With every loss, they get closer to drawing fewer home audiences, like as the 13,221 stated attendance on Tuesday, which is the third-smallest of the season. With every loss, they get closer to the last 32 games, which means they have less and fewer
Tage Thompson, the lone goal scorer for the Sabres in this game, stated, “I think the results typically follow the work ethic.” And I believe we haven’t been enough consistent in that throughout the season. Furthermore, the games you do lose due to a lack of effort always come back to haunt you.
The Sabres that played on Tuesday have the potential to be far higher in the standings. Dahlin attempted 15 shots, had six scoring opportunities, and eight shots in the net. Dylan Cozens had nine scoring opportunities, including four high-danger ones, eight shots on goal, and thirteen shot attempts. Thompson created five separate scoring opportunities in addition to scoring during the power play. Additionally, they received another excellent start in net from Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen.
However, the Stars created more high-danger opportunities and took advantage of them more than the Sabres did. In the third period, the Sabres were unable to get any momentum and had to end two different five-on-three situations.
“Irregularly difficult circumstances,” stated Granato. “You guys have the replays and the film, and some of the calls were, to put it mildly, entertaining. It’s not an easy scenario. You are down five on three twice after killing four penalties. In the NHL, that is not frequently the case. Odd.
However, there were also problems that the Sabres had brought about. Oettinger made it appear simple, despite the fact that they were firing freely the entire time. Once more, the Sabres were unable to reach the front of the net. Of those 48 shots, Oettinger only had to make eight saves at high risk. As a result of their inability to prevent the Stars from getting close to their own goal, Luukkonen finished with 12 high-danger saves against just 18 fewer shots than Oettinger.
Everything is starting to add up to a season that is quickly passing. After an offensive-zone turnover early in the third quarter, general manager Kevyn Adams angrily pounded the table. He went on the MSG pregame program before the game, when he talked about the team’s situation going into the deadline.
Adams stated, “We’re not happy with where we are in the standings.” “I sympathize with the supporters’ dissatisfaction. I too am frustrated. We’re going to exert every effort to improve. Though there are many teams in positions that are undecided, we will consider every option leading up to the trade deadline. Do you move or do you stay still? You can do things occasionally. However, there are instances where it might need to wait until the summer.
Fans of the Sabres might be looking forward to the offseason much earlier than they had anticipated. The math for the playoffs will only get worse in the absence of a sustained winning streak. And what indication is there that a club that hasn’t had a winning run of three games this season will be able to make the required run?
Therefore, even though they’re improving and can draw some encouragement from individual efforts in these games, all of this is occurring as a result of the team’s excessively deep early-season hole.
Granato declared on Tuesday, “We played hard, we played the right way.” “The outcome wasn’t correct. That doesn’t make anyone happy. Nobody is interested in hearing about that. I wish not to be informed about that. We were not victorious. However, we’re playing the game at the appropriate tempo. This is really annoying.
