Buffalo Sabres At Washington Capitals: Reactions To Another Loss

If you are reading this, and are a Buffalo Sabres fan who watched this entire game, props to you. You are a true, diehard Sabres fan.

Back when former Sabres GM Darcy “What’s he done wrong” Regier prophesized “suffering,” I think that most of his believed him, yet doubted it would come to this extent.

Buffalo lost a lopsided game to the Washington Capitals, 6-1, tonight. From the Ripley’s Believe It Or Not files, the Sabres actually led this game tonight at one point. It seems like they almost always score first (when they actually do) in most games – what is up with that?

There are almost no positives about the team tonight. Johan Larsson and Marcus Foligno put forth a valiant effort for most of the game, and combined for the team’s only goal, but beyond that, the Sabres were full of passengers and floaters.

On the Capitals first goal, defensemen Andrei Meszaros and Tyson Strachan were parked high in the slot, nowhere near where they should have been. Poor Tim Schaller was left trying to clear the front of the net as Caps newcomer Curtis Glencross scored an easy goal.

On the Caps second goal, it was deja vu. Andre Benoit was nowhere to be found, and Rasmus Ristolainen was caught watching the play from the side of the net as poor Phil Varone was left trying to defend the front of the Sabres net as Jay Beagle scored.

I am not sure if this was an actual Sabres strategy tonight, expecting extra forwards to drop low all night to cover for terrible positioning by the defense. If it was, it helped handicap a hapless offense further.

The team has performed a great job in jettisoning any players with any modicum of offensive prowess, save for maybe Tyler Ennis. Even “sniper” Matt Moulson is lost without a bonafide center passing him the puck. His level of play has been embarrassing all season long, yet no one seems to call him out on it.

The rest of the forwards are patchwork unproven players, AHLers, and Cody Hodgson. Cannot expect much when Varone is your top line center. If Buffalo does not get Connor McDavid, after all that they have put us fans through, it will be nothing less than a tragedy.

This franchise has provided its fans with heaps of heartache and heartbreak throughout its tenure. From the Cup loss to the Broadstreet Bullies in the 70’s, to the playoff dominance of the Bruins over Buffalo in the 80’s, to the “No Goal” Cup loss in the 90’s, to Jay McKee‘s infection in the 00’s – what could be next?

All of this “suffering” that we are going through now, which Regier forewarned us about, had better be worth it in the end. Us fans have been through enough of it in our lives. I need to start seeing a competitive Sabres team on the ice again very soon. Otherwise, I might need to find a new hobby instead of watching this team lose. (Yeah right, I love this team too much).

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