The Buffalo Sabres once again showed their youth following a blowout loss to the Edmonton Oilers.
It wasn’t even close. By the end of the second period, the Buffalo Sabres trailed the Edmonton Oilers 4-0. We all knew it was over. It was the same fate the Sabres suffered earlier in the month when they let Sam Reinhart and his Florida Panthers score all over them.
The Sabres came into the contest with momentum in their corner, having defeated a division rival twice in one month and upending a mighty Vegas Golden Knights team. Riding momentum into and focusing on the matchup with the Oilers served as the big test for the Sabres and they failed miserably. Proving inconsistency remains the only consistency.
Who are the Buffalo Sabres?
It’s a question even the most die-hard fans are asking themselves. Who is this hockey team as of late? They show up and upset one of the league’s best teams, outscore a division rival 10-3 across two meetings, and essentially win games teams in transition aren’t supposed to win.
Then, they show their youth and inexperience in blowout losses to teams like the Oilers, the Los Angeles Kings, and the Panthers. Losing all three games by a combined score of 15-2. That’s a sad score across three losses in March.
They also outscored opponents 18-6 throughout their four wins in March. Talk about a consistently inconsistent hockey team. But hey, at least we can now say they’re consistently inconsistent, which is a far cry from the migraine-inducing performances they became notorious for on a regular basis just one season ago when they managed to lose 18 straight games.
They’ve also grown up since they posted a 9-22-6 record between November 1st and February 1st. Evidence that this team is growing, though blowout losses to teams like the Oilers is to be expected.
So who are the Buffalo Sabres? A team that’s no longer rebuilding. Instead, they’re a young team that has built a strong nucleus. They’re a young team that will continue to add to that nucleus following the trade deadline and into the offseason.
These days, the Sabres are treating no one to fools gold as they have done in the past. These young Sabres are here to stay and they’re going to grow together. And since they proved they can defeat top-tier hockey teams, the time will come where they will turn the corner for good.
And when those days come, it will be a great time to be a Sabres fan. So let’s not overreact to their latest blowout loss. They will become fewer in between as the Sabres continue to grow.