The Buffalo Sabres have one key to victory against the Golden Knights
By Sion Fawkes
![DENVER, COLORADO - DECEMBER 13: Zach Benson #9 of the Buffalo Sabres celebrates with his teammates after scoring against the Colorado Avalanches in the first period at Ball Arena on December 13, 2023 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images) DENVER, COLORADO - DECEMBER 13: Zach Benson #9 of the Buffalo Sabres celebrates with his teammates after scoring against the Colorado Avalanches in the first period at Ball Arena on December 13, 2023 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/shape/cover/sport/24893659a2ed09910de42e7545bd167ac965177e644df5745c774801f540f267.jpg)
The Buffalo Sabres are an underachieving team, but they don’t have to be since they only need one simple approach to beat the NHL’s best.
While the Buffalo Sabres failed to show in their most recent loss to the Colorado Avalanche, they still shut out the Central Division leaders when the two teams met in the City of Good Neighbors on October 29th. They also beat the Boston Bruins and the New York Rangers recently by a combined score of 8-2.
The common denominator in the three aforementioned contests against some of the NHL’s best teams? They played a simple game for all 60 minutes that involved getting pucks to the net in the offensive zone and getting sticks on the puck and the occasional body in front of shooting lanes in the defensive zone.
Therefore, the Sabres know how to beat the NHL’s most elite hockey teams in 2023-24 despite their poor 12-15-3 record through 30 games. Despite the brutal loss on Wednesday and the fact Buffalo is facing the league’s best team that has 45 points, we can’t count them out considering what they have done to opponents in the past.
Buffalo Sabres proved they can beat elite teams with a simple formula in 2023
Sooner than later, the Blue and Gold must accept the fact that the simple strategy is the best way to win in 2023-24 as opposed to the jaw-dropping plays they made last season. If they once again play simple hockey and win tonight, perhaps they will finally, after one-third of the season, realize and start playing with that simple formula from here on out.
But with just 27 points, the Buffalo Sabres find themselves stacked behind the eight-ball with little hope since they find themselves with the third-worst points total in the East. However, we also know that this is basically the same team from last season, and a team that got hot at numerous times in 2022-23, so even if things look bleak, there are still 52 games left.
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Either way, it’s time for them to revert to their simple game tonight, gain some momentum, and for once this season, keep it. We’ll see if the Sabres can upset yet another one of the best teams the NHL has to offer when the puck drops at 10:00 p.m. Eastern.
(Statistics and information provided by Hockey-Reference)