Buffalo Sabres Lose To Blue Jackets: Clinch Last Place

It is over! I repeat the time of pain and suffering has left this city behind Sabres Fans! The Buffalo Sabres have lost to the Columbus Blue Jackets by a score of 4-2 tonight and it marks the last loss that will ever be desired by Sabres fans.

For just about the entire season there has been talk and support of the idea of tanking. Despite denying every one of these accusations from fans and media, the Buffalo Sabres players and GM Tim Murray have done all that they needed to do in order to finish in last place this season.

Fans had the audacity to come to Buffalo Sabres games and cheer against them for hopes of losing the game and being one step closer to drafting 1st overall in the 2015 NHL draft. With generational talent fronting the draft, nobody blamed fans for their approach, but now the time of cheering against the team you love is over.

With the loss to the Blue Jackets tonight the Buffalo Sabres have secured themselves last place in the NHL and thus a 20% chance at attaining the 1st overall pick this coming June. I have waited for this day for a long time (trust me), a time where the fans could be united once again.

This atrocity of a season comes to a close tomorrow against the Penguins, and I’ll bet there will be some roaring Sabres fans in the seats once again cheering on the team they love; and to win this time! It warms my heart that the “tanking” mentality can be dropped off now and we can all look towards the future.

Let’s talk about tonight’s game a little bit.

The Buffalo Sabres fought long and hard tonight, and proved that they had some spark left in them. The game was tied 2-2 going into the third period before a turnover saw the Blue Jackets score a quick one on Anders Lindback.

Scoring for the Buffalo Sabres tonight were Mikhail Grigorenko and Brian Gionta. Grigorenko has stepped up recently and proven that he does deserve a real shot at the NHL club full time next season. He is playing a much more rounded out game and has been finding chemistry with Marcus Foligno and Brian Gionta by incresing his offensive output in the past couple games.

Gionta is proving to be the leader that all Buffalo Sabres fans hoped he would be when he was signed in the offseason last July. He has not put up the best numbers, but he has kept his team on track for future success and is mentoring a potential scoring threat in Grigorenko.

As far as anyone is concerned, tomorrow’s game is just to play spoiler against the Penguins. It may also be that one last chance for all of the fans to show their fullest and true intentions that they have held onto all season. Despite the cheering for losses, all Buffalo fans know that it was done out of tough love and for the future of the franchise.

This is a call for all Buffalo Sabres fans, new, old, bandwagoners, or whomever else, to stand up tomorrow and give the biggest round of applause for the team that endured two years of losing pains, and fans that cheered against them. Give them your all tomorrow! Give them your warmest thanks and praise for what they have worked so hard to bring to this city.

With the loss tonight they have guaranteed themselves a superstar, whether it be Connor McDavid or Jack Eichel will remain to be seen. Regardless of which one it is Buffalo Sabres fans, give this team your ungratified thanks tomorrow in First Niagara Center and show them the love they truly deserve.

For the final time I’ll say it this season, and I’ll mean each word proudly. Say these three words with me Buffalo Fans…

LET’S GO BUFFALO!!

Next: Sabres Have Always Built On Hope

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