Buffalo Sabres must start finding ways to capitalize on opportunities

The Buffalo Sabres showed way more fight in their loss to the Nashville Predators, but they couldn’t capitalize when it counted.

The Buffalo Sabres did something right despite the lack of wins this week sans their shocking victory over the New York Rangers. They got shots to the net on most nights, and you can say the same in their loss to the Nashville Predators, when they recorded 35 shots on goal and showed better chemistry in the offensive zone than the final score implied.

It was a vast improvement over last night when the Blue and Gold recorded just 22 shots on goal and scored twice. In their 6-4 loss to the St. Louis Blues, they had 46, and against the Rangers, the Sabres scored five times with 39 shots on net.

No, it doesn’t look like it in the win-loss column, but getting shots to the net was something that this team struggled mightily with earlier in the year. Therefore, the arrow, as much as it doesn’t seem like it, is pointing north, even if they aren’t finding the back of the net.

Buffalo Sabres are getting shots off, but they aren’t capitalizing

However, hockey isn’t a game determined by which team gets more shots on goal; if they aren’t scoring, they aren’t winning. It’s rather self-explanatory regarding which step the Sabres must take next: They need to find ways to capitalize on those many scoring chances. 

Tonight, again despite the final score, we saw some encouragement, as the Blue and Gold at least looked like they were getting traffic near the crease and in front of the opposing goaltender. If the Buffalo Sabres can start getting rebounds going their way, they will score more consistently.

This coming Tuesday night vs. the Detroit Red Wings would be an excellent time to start converting chances into goals. Despite the Sabres finding their way into the ‘L’ column again, this is ironically a game they can build on.

(Statistics provided by NHL.com)