Buffalo Sabres: 3 keys to winning the next gauntlet of games
By Sion Fawkes
The Buffalo Sabres survived several gauntlets this season, and things get no easier for the upcoming week, with games against Edmonton and New York looming.
Following a pair of abysmal performances in which opponents outscored them 12-4, the Buffalo Sabres bounced back and beat the Tampa Bay Lightning, scoring a second straight win against their Atlantic Division rival. What made the Sabres, who struggled against Tampa in previous seasons, stun one of the NHL’s best teams twice within a two-week span?
Three aspects of their game stuck out not only against the Bolts, but also in their recent win over the Florida Panthers. Let’s check them out.
1 – Keep up the physical play
As I touched on in a previous article, in each of their wins over the Florida teams, the Buffalo Sabres brought a physical edge. Buffalo is a different team when they refuse to let opponents push them around, and if they can stay physical this week, expect them to set the tone early and get their opponents to overcomplicate things in the neutral zone and even when on the attack.
Too often this season, the Sabres have done the opposite, as we’ve seen them overthink their offensive game time and again while opponents outmuscled them. If they stay physical defensively and at least match their opponents in physicality, they can play a simpler game.
2 – Don’t force passes
Against the Lightning, you didn’t see the Sabres try to force things, something they did time and again vs. Columbus and Boston. Over their first 61 contests, we’ve seen Buffalo thrive when they simplify things offensively, and it’s why they’re currently third in the NHL with 229 goals.
The downside? They haven’t played a simple game consistently, and it’s led to plenty of blowout losses, most recently against Boston, the Carolina Hurricanes, Calgary Flames, and Toronto Maple Leafs.
3 – Stay fast
As the NHL’s youngest team, the Buffalo Sabres are often the faster group on the ice. And when they do simplify their game, they can outskate most opponents and score at will, especially late in games when they need to.
This will also give them an advantage against older, more experienced squads as the season winds down. Look for their older opponents to try and control the game’s tempo, seeking to preserve much-needed stamina, especially Top 3 teams in a respective division.
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The younger, faster Sabres, if they can get their sticks on the puck, could end up surprising those in NHL circles even more than they already have. But it’s all about playing a physical game, keeping things simple, and outpacing opponents. If they can master these three key aspects, the Blue and Gold will move a few steps closer to snapping their near-12-season playoff drought.
(Statistics provided by Hockey-Reference)
Source: Observations: Sabres stand up for themselves, snap skid with win over Lightning by Lance Lysowski, BuffaloNews.com
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