The Buffalo Sabres have seen more downs than ups lately. But two recent wins have pushed the Blue and Gold north in Week 18.
The Buffalo Sabres looked much better this week than they did when I penned last week’s rankings. The Blue and Gold had played so poorly that I had no problem tanking them from fourth to eighth.
Did they redeem themselves this week? You can at least be rest assured they’re not dwelling in the basement in Week 18. So how far did they move up? Keep reading to find out.
8 – Montreal Canadiens/23-29-4 (50 points)
Last Week’s Ranking: 7
From the Florida Panthers to the Ottawa Senators, the four teams vying for a wild card spot in the Atlantic are all within four points of one another. Then there are the Canadiens, who find themselves in outer orbit. Two straight losses this past week didn’t help matters.
7 – Florida Panthers/28-25-6 (62 points)
Last Week’s Ranking: 4
The Panthers may be fourth in the Atlantic and two points ahead of the Buffalo Sabres. But they’ve been outscored 16-11 in their last three games. Want more fun? In three of their last five, the Panthers are 2-3-0, and they allowed at least five goals in each loss.
6 – Buffalo Sabres/28-22-4 (60 points)
Last Week’s Ranking: 8
The good news? The Sabres are beating teams that they should beat. The bad? They struggled at times in their win over the San Jose Sharks. Now, they got arguably their toughest and most crucial week coming up.
5 – Ottawa Senators/27-24-4 (58 points)
Last Week’s Ranking: 5
The Senators have gotten hot, and they look as though they can beat just about anyone. Next to one hiccup against the Chicago Blackhawks, the Sens won three of their last four. Can they keep it up as the playoff race intensifies?
4 – Detroit Red Wings/26-21-8 (60 points)
Last Week’s Ranking: 6
Before their 4-2 loss to the Seattle Kraken, the Red Wings played arguably their best hockey of the season. Over their five-game winning streak, they outscored opponents 23-10. Maybe Detroit’s getting hot at the right time?
3 – Tampa Bay Lightning/35-17-3 (73 points)
Last Week’s Ranking: 1
The Lightning’s reign at the top has come to an end. Not only did they drop their last two, but the Arizona Coyotes pulled off the unthinkable and blanked them in a 1-0 shutout. And no, that’s not a typo. While they got the sticks rolling against Vegas, it wasn’t enough, and they dropped one to the Golden Knights, 5-4.
2 – Toronto Maple Leafs/34-15-8 (76 points)
Last Week’s Ranking: 3
The Maple Leafs pulled off a big trade this past week featuring Ryan O’Reilly. But they gave up a ton of compensation in the process. In short, the Leafs appear to be saying, “This is the year we either win the Cup, or bust.” They’ll ultimately slide down the rankings. At least those are my current vibes.
1 – Boston Bruins/42-8-5 (89 points)
Last Week’s Ranking: 2
They won three straight games, two of which occurred in convincing fashion. The first of their three wins came against one of the Western Conference’s premier teams in the Dallas Stars, so it’s safe to say the Bruins are deservedly back on top.
Overall, the Buffalo Sabres climbed a couple of spots in this week’s rankings. If they can get it together this week, then expect a sizeable leap for Week 19. Lose, and they might just find themselves back in the basement.
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