3 major improvements Buffalo Sabres must make in final stretch
By Sion Fawkes
The Buffalo Sabres may have won big against the Anaheim Ducks last night, but they still have a lot of work to do if the plan on snagging a playoff spot.
The Buffalo Sabres remain in playoff contention, but if they want to sneak into the postseason, they need to play better overall hockey. While it’s true the Blue and Gold are better this season than they’ve been in years, they still lack consistency.
There have been times where they looked like the best team in hockey, like during their seven-game points streak and five-game winning streak last month. But this group has also looked terrible at times, with their eight-game losing streak in November 2022 setting the precedent.
How can this team get more consistent? Here are three areas of the game the Buffalo Sabres must improve on.
1 – Second period woes
Until Peyton Krebs put a stop to it, the Sabres were victims of an 11-0 run in the second period over their previous three games. It started against Calgary, where the Blue and Gold got off to a remarkable run against one of the NHL’s better teams, only to allow four goals in the second frame.
The same thing happened against the Los Angeles Kings after Buffalo matched them stride for stride in the first. They took another 2-0 lead against Anaheim before they found themselves down 3-2 after the second frame’s first seven minutes.
What’s more? These woes occurred against three different goaltenders. While Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen is a rookie and will see his fair share of struggles, Craig Anderson likely winding down as the season reaches well into its second half, and Eric Comrie looking mainly like a backup, there’s a disconnect when this occurs when there are three different men minding the net.
Now, I will concede that Anderson especially had a bad game on Monday nigh against the Kings, and Buffalo played better defensively than the final score otherwise indicated. But overall, they have been out of position, and it happened on at least two of those goals allowed last night. If the Sabres continue to allow between 3-4 goals in the second, they won’t win many more games.