Why these Buffalo Sabres are different from the 2018-19 team
By Sion Fawkes
The Buffalo Sabres have won five games in a row for the first time since November 2018. But this version of the Blue and Gold is way different.
When the Buffalo Sabres enjoyed a 10-game winning streak in November 2018, we all thought this would be the year when they finally returned to the playoffs. And of course, we now know it was fools gold.
I am an individual whose vibes are rarely wrong, even if my thoughts almost always are. In fact, if I think something is going to happen, then I know the opposite will happen; especially when my intuition is trying to tell me so.
And that was the case in November 2018. The intuition said that this wouldn’t last, though the thoughts made every excuse in the hockey world that the Sabres would keep winning.
Lo and behold, the team sputtered down the stretch and ended up missing the playoffs. This year is different. And while the Sabres are going to lose games and have those “fall back to Earth” moments, you will also see them go on stretches like the one they enjoyed in December.
Buffalo Sabres current five-game streak is night and day vs. November 2018
Go back to November, 2018, and the Sabres won nine of those 10 games by one goal. NINE OF 10! In fact, over their first six wins of the streak, the Sabres outscored opponents 22-16. Fast-forward to December 2022, and the Sabres have outscored opponents 24-9 over just five games.
Yeah, I think it’s safe to say that things are a little different here regarding the 2022-23 Buffalo Sabres. They would still be the highest-scoring team in the NHL if Mother Nature didn’t force back-to-back postponements. Nonetheless, they are still second in the league in scoring.
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And now that Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen is looking better and better – I frankly only pinned one of the three goals he allowed in the third period on him – the Blue and Gold are 18th in goals allowed, and allowing 3.29 per game. During this five-game streak, they are allowing just 1.8.
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