The Buffalo Sabres have had a few days to rest and tweak their lineup. Will it be enough to earn a W in the City of Brotherly Love?
The Buffalo Sabres have had quite a few days to rest and retool things following their road trip through Western Canada.
The team managed to earn 3 out of the 6 points that were up for grabs in its games against Edmonton, Calgary, and Vancouver, but the guys have to feel like they let the game against the Flames slip away, as they blew three separate one-goal leads.
Buffalo’s first game after its mid-October hiatus is on the road against a Philadelphia Flyers team that has struggled to start the season. With a record of 2-3-1, one of last year’s biggest surprises has come out a bit flat. Granted, the season is young, and hey! The Flyers have more points than the Sabres. Still, for a team looking to build off its 8th place in the Eastern Conference finish in 2015-16, starting today in 13th place in the East is probably not where the Flyers envisioned themselves three weeks ago.
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So, the big question today: how can the Sabres earn a W against a playoff-capable team coming off a tough loss?
1. Get a strong effort in goal from Anders Nilsson.
As I detailed last night, Nilsson gets the start in net tonight due to Robin Lehner being a touch under the weather. Linus Ullmark, just called up from Rochester, will be Buffalo’s Plan B.
If Nilsson can duplicate his preseason effort, in which he stopped 49 of 50 shots in his first two games, then the Sabres will have a chance to steal one on the road. Wouldn’t it be nice if some of these one-goal losses that the team has been known for begin to materialize into one-goal wins?
I’m trying to be optimistic, but dammit it, it’s tough!
2. Sam Reinhart Has To Be The Center Of Attention
See what I did there? Because Sam is playing center tonight and . . . fart.
At any rate, Reinhart is off to a slow start: 2 points, no goals. If centering a line with Tyler Ennis and Johan Larsson can give him a jolt, so be it. Buffalo needs this kid to be a 50+ points-per-year kind of player if it ever wants to make the playoffs, especially this season. If Reinhart can get 2 or more points tonight, the Sabres win – mark it in your books.
3. Get. Shots. On. Net.
I have a feeling I will just be copying and pasting this point every game day. Once again, the Buffalo Sabres are among the NHL’s worst teams when it comes to getting pucks on goaltenders. With a third-to-worst shots per game rate of 25.8, Buffalo is making it way too easy for their opponents to keep the Sabres off the scoreboard. Remember: Buffalo’s lone goal in Vancouver came courtesy of a double-deflection off of two Canucks players. Yes, the Sabres have to bury scoring chances, too, but giving themselves more chances is paramount to getting a win against former Sabres goaltender Michal Neuvirth.
The Buffalo Sabres are well-rested and have shuffled their lineup a little bit; the Philadelphia Flyers are coming off a tough loss Monday evening. Is this a recipe for success for the Blue and Gold? Sure hope so – let’s go Buffalo!