Sun Dec 6, 2015 Oilers 4 – Sabres 2
Mon Dec 7, 2015 Canucks 5 – Sabres 2
What was projected to be a chance to win a few games against some teams that had not been playing very good hockey as of late, has started out very negatively; not only in the results, but in the way that the defense has played and the overall look of the team.
After going 3-1-1 in their previous 5 games, two losses in a row have the Sabres asking, what has gone wrong?
I would guess that a cross country flight and two games in a row might have something to do with it. But also, Edmonton has 4 or 5 (I can’t keep track of all of them) #1 picks in their lineup and are undeniably talented. Vancouver has been horrid this year and maybe Hank and Danny Sedin got tired of it and laced into their teammates to show some heart.
I could tell watching the Canucks early in the game that their checkers were playing with a lot of anger and tenacity, but so was Nick Deslauriers. We even took a 1-0 lead and then meekly gave up the lead about a minute and a half later and after that point played like a beaten team. Where was the fire?
We talked about it already, but these guys need to learn that in the NHL you cannot take a night off if you expect to compete for the playoffs. I know it’s early still, and hopefully this is just a growing pain kind of thing and we will rebound; I expect we will. Now we have two nights off to get ready for Calgary on Thursday night. They probably do just need a rest, and I look for Bylsma to get them prepared on defense and on the power play for Thursday night.
These late night west coast games are a killer though; I can barely stay up that late to watch them. This morning was a little groggy.
Philip Wilkins is a Baltimore Orioles fan, Buffalo transplant. Grew up in Connecticut but born in Maryland. Graduate of the University of Colorado at Boulder – Go Buffs! Lived in San Francisco after college. Moved to Buffalo in 2009 after spending a half-year abroad in Australia and New Zealand. Life-long Baseball, Hockey, and Football fan. Sabres fan since NHL ’94 for Sega Genesis came out with the Sabres’ top line of Alexander Mogilny, Pat LaFontaine and Dale Howerchuck with Alexei Zhitnik and Richard Smehlik on D and Domink Hasek in net – best lineup in the game!
“I believe that the Sabres were robbed in ’99 when Hull’s skate was in the crease. Now Buffalo is home and I am looking for a Cup and a Super Bowl in short order. We have the talent and the coaching and the ownership – what is stopping us?”
Go Bills, Go Sabres, Go Bisons!