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February 2023 Prediction: Will the Buffalo Sabres rise to adversity?

By Sion Fawkes|
Nov 8, 2021; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Buffalo Sabres defenseman Colin Miller (33) skates with the puck as Washington Capitals center Evgeny Kuznetsov (92) chases during the first period at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 8, 2021; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Buffalo Sabres defenseman Colin Miller (33) skates with the puck as Washington Capitals center Evgeny Kuznetsov (92) chases during the first period at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

The Buffalo Sabres will face arguably the toughest month in February 2023. Will they rise to the challenge and conquer adversity?

In my previous two months’ worth of predictions (December 2022, January 2023), I have the Buffalo Sabres struggling and a far cry to what I predicted they would do back in October and November 2022. With two-and-a-half months left in the season, the Sabres will now need to conquer adversity.

Fortunately for them, they managed to do this last season, going on a hot streak in March and April 2022. So with a tough slate of games in February and with the season at crossroads, they need to make it two-for-two, starting in February 2023.

Things won’t be easy in December 2022 and January 2023, and they don’t get any easier in February.

I got the Sabres dropping their first three games of the month, all regulation losses. This includes two home games to the Carolina Hurricanes and the Calgary Flames, plus a road game to the Los Angeles Kings.

But, those three losses are followed by three straight wins. Two of which will come on the road against the Anaheim Ducks and San Jose Sharks. The third will occur against those Toronto Maple Leafs, and one of the NHL’s best teams will still be left trying to figure out the Sabres.

However, the Tampa Bay Lightning and Florida Panthers are still too good for the Sabres to handle. But at this point in the year, a healthy Sabres team has also improved, and they will suffer two straight overtime losses. Following their road trip to Florida, the Sabres will return and lose to the Washington Capitals before they defeat the Columbus Blue Jackets in an overtime thriller.

Record: 4-4-2 (10 points)

2022-23 Record: 30-21-9 (69 points)

Overall, the Sabres are still struggling and showing us flashbacks of being the “Same Old Sabres.” But, they have produced far better in my December, January, and February predictions than they played in the past. Clearly, at this point in the season, they are barely in the wild card hunt, but we still have another month-and-a-half of hockey to go.

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