Will the Buffalo Sabres make it three in a row against Detroit?
By Sion Fawkes
Before the 2022-23 NHL Season began, the debate raged on: Did the Buffalo Sabres or Detroit Red Wings build their respective teams correctly?
It seemed like one of the hottest debates between fans of the Buffalo Sabres and Detroit Red Wings: Did Kevyn Adams or Steve Yzerman go in the correct directions? On one end, you have Adams, who built the Blue and Gold’s prospect pool while keeping a roster that accumulated just 75 points the season prior almost as is.
On the other end, you got Yzerman, who built the Red Wings primarily via trades and free agency. So far, the ‘under construction’ Sabres have won out, winning 8-3 on Halloween Night before they pulled out a thriller earlier this month against Detroit.
So can they keep it up following a 10-day layoff? Conventional wisdom says they can, since 10 days grants enough rest for an opportunity to recover and return stronger. But the Red Wings have come back strong, rallying from a 4-0 deficit in a 5-4 OT win over the Pittsburgh Penguins. And one week ago, they topped the Tampa Bay Lightning, 7-4.
Will the Buffalo Sabres make it 3-0 against the Red Wings?
Many believe the Sabres will be rusty for this one, but with 10 days off, don’t be surprised if the time off actually helped the team. One reason is that this works out like a mini bye-week that you see in the NFL. No, the Blue and Gold did not have the opportunity to practice, but a 10 day break allows for an adequate time to recover without losing much (if anything) in the way of function and team chemistry.
The Sabres further have an advantage since tonight’s contest is the second of a back-to-back for the Red Wings. They also needed a huge third period to upend the Penguins and snag the win in overtime. This means the Red Wings won’t be at full strength tonight.
Overall, the Sabres may not have even practiced for ten days, but they will have the healthier, well-rested team tonight. A 10-day break is nothing more than what one wise high school football coach I knew referred to as, “recharging the battery.”
Must Read. Sabres: Rest is the most underrated advantage. light
At day’s end, the Sabres were just recharging. And this is the primary reason I believe they will take tonight’s game against Detroit and make it three in a row against the Yzerman-built Red Wings.
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