The Buffalo Sabres have an opportunity to evoke some damage this week, as they play the Tampa Bay Lightning and Colorado Avalanche.
If the Buffalo Sabres have a chance to turn their 2022-23 season around, it comes this week against three talented hockey teams. Two of those teams, however, made it to the Stanley Cup Final, so the Sabres have an opportunity to pull off a couple of much-needed upsets.
Is it possible? Absolutely. This is a team that has beaten superior groups like the St. Louis Blues and the Pittsburgh Penguins. They also played beat the Edmonton Oilers, Calgary Flames, and the Detroit Red Wings, all of whom are playoff-caliber teams.
While I’m not predicting three wins this week, or anything of the sort, it gives the Sabres the ultimate opportunity to apply what they’ve learned in their nine losses this month.
Buffalo Sabres can beat some of the NHL’s best teams this week
Head coach Don Granato stressed that the Sabres found their groove against the New Jersey Devils on Friday, and the team did play some physical hockey. They also created a few turnovers and were aggressive in getting a stick on the puck while on defense.
However, it came too little, too late, and they ended up dropping the contest 3-1. If they can carry that physical play over into the matchups against Tampa and Colorado, with the Detroit Red Wings sandwiched in between, then they can control the tone of the game.
The Sabres also can’t overthink things, something they have been prone to doing against more talented rosters. They can’t rush plays, force passes, or take ill-fated shots. Instead, they need to hold onto the puck, let the plays develop, take sensible shots, and crash the net every time there is a rebound.
Not that they will grab their brooms and do some sweeping this week; but it will put them in the best possible position to snag some upsets.
Article Source: Mike Harrington: With both Cup finalists coming to town, Sabres are staring at another massive week by Mike Harrington
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