The Buffalo Sabres had a rough December in my 2022-23 Buffalo Sabres regular season predictions. Will January be a better month?
The Buffalo Sabres could start off 2023 with a bang. But, they have long suffered through the infamous Marathon of the Middle of a long NHL season. One bold prediction I’m making this year is that head coach Don Granato will break the decade-long Curse of the Pegulas.
Well, Granato may not be done breaking curses just yet as I believe he can also, at some point, get the Sabres to perform well between the months of December and February. So, will he catapult the Sabres back to the winning ways I predicted them to have back in October and November 2022? Keep reading to find out what’s in store as the schedule flips to a new year.
Will the Buffalo Sabres bust through the infamous Marathon of the Middle in January 2023?
The month begins on New Years Day, when the Sabres skate into Ottawa for a date with the Senators. Unfortunately I have them losing this one as those mighty Senators will most likely be meshing at this point. I’m also predicting a loss on January 3rd when they fly into Washington to take on the Capitals.
After another loss at home, this time an overtime loss to the Minnesota Wild, I got them taking one against the Seattle Kraken before losing in regulation to the Jets to conclude the first homestand of 2023. So by doing the math, the Sabres are an unfortunate 1-3-1 at this point.
I’m also predicting them to drop another one to Nashville, but in overtime, before they lose in blowout fashion to the Florida Panthers at home, putting them at 1-4-2 for January. But, things will get better as they blow out the Chicago Blackhawks on the road.
After the win over Chicago, I’m looking for them to return home and steal one against the New York Islanders before beating up on the Anaheim Ducks. This puts the Sabres at an even 4-4-2 so far. But, the four-game road trip will see the Sabres win just one game, which will come on January 28th against the Minnesota Wild.
In the games preceding it, they will lose in overtime to the Dallas Stars before dropping two games in regulation to the St. Louis Blues and Winnipeg Jets. Overall, it will be a trying January 2023 for the Sabres, but the year isn’t over just yet.
January 2023 Record: 5-6-3 (13 points)
2022-23 Record: 26-17-7 (59 points)
If you flip back to December 2022, I have the Sabres finishing the month at 5-6-2 for 12 points, so it will be two tough months. But, there is also some progress here, bleak as it looks, as the Sabres have seen far worse in previous seasons.