The Buffalo Sabres found themselves down 4-0 within the game’s first 13 minutes. Not the start the Blue and Gold were looking for.
What’s the difference between the Buffalo Sabres and the Toronto Maple Leafs? Right now, it’s experience. You got a team that knows how to win consistently (at least until the playoffs roll around), playing a team that knows how to win, but doesn’t exactly know how to put up consistent performances. Unless that consistency, of course, is inconsistency.
And early in the contest, the consistent Maple Leafs knew exactly how to beat the inconsistent Sabres. Take away the neutral zone, force Buffalo to overthink things and get them to play sloppy hockey, then get behind them for some easy goals. Because at the end of the day, they knew the Sabres wouldn’t bother to adjust until it was too late.
At the 13th minute, Toronto led 4-0, and I was contemplating on whether to keep watching or to start my concession article. In hindsight, I’m glad I kept the game on, because the Sabres at least made things somewhat interesting in the third period. But when you’re down 5-0 after two frames, it’s nearly impossible to embark on a comeback.
Buffalo Sabres need to play smarter hockey. Period.
The Sabres should have simplified their game, but instead, they continually tried to pound the puck up the middle, and it just wasn’t there. And it led to turnover, after turnover, after turnover. Buffalo had eight giveaways in this one, as opposed to just one from the Leafs.
Toronto also had 15 takeaways, and it wasn’t until the Leafs slowed the game down did the Sabres calm down and play smarter hockey. If there is any upside to this game, it’s that Buffalo now has a nice blueprint on what NOT to do when an opponent takes away your favorite lanes.
Overall, the Sabres should look at this game as a learning experience. They need to learn how to adjust their game better to avoid future 4-0 holes against some of the NHL’s best teams, because they’re not going to stick around the wild card race long if such poor performances happen a few more times to close out the month.
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