The Buffalo Sabres have gotten off to a much better start this season and are over .500 in point percentage through the first 12 games. They have gotten points in six straight games and just secured their first shootout win of the season against the Washington Capitals.
While there have been many positives, some underlying concerns for this team have cost them points. These are issues that the Sabres have to try and figure out how to correct if they want to continue to play competitive hockey and potentially even get back to the playoffs.
Opponents are scoring first against the Buffalo Sabres
Through the first 12 games, the Sabres have found themselves behind in eight of those games as the opposing team has scored first. In those eight games, the Sabres are 2-4-2 meanwhile, they are 3-0-1 in the games where they score first.
This is something that has gotten better slightly as the season has gone on, as the Sabres did lose their first three games, and not including those three, the Sabres have a winning record of 2-1-2 when the opposing team scores first. However, it is not an ideal situation for a young team to have to play from behind early in games.
Opponents are scoring goals late in the second period against Buffalo
This is a trend that has become an issue recently, and it might just be a coincidence more than anything, but it has happened in three straight games, which makes it worth mentioning. In each of the past three games, the Sabres have allowed a goal in the final minute of the second period.
In each of those games, each one has gone to overtime and the Sabres have lost two of those games. These types of goals are huge momentum swings away from Buffalo as the goals scored in the games against Washington and Columbus had the game tied going into the final period, while Boston built a two-goal lead into the third period.
The silver lining in this is that the Sabres did get at least one point in each of those games, especially the game against Boston, where they scored two goals in the third period to force overtime. However, the other two games, they should have had the lead, and it is a different mindset in that final period when a team has the lead.
Buffalo Sabres are struggling in overtime to get shots on goal
The Buffalo Sabres have played an extra period of hockey in four straight games and have yet to score a goal in overtime. After three straight losses, they were able to force it to a shootout (due in large part to Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen) and get two points, but it is something the coaching staff has to figure out.
Over the four games, the opposing team has been getting better chances and more frequent chances in overtime. In total, the Buffalo Sabres have been outshot 11-3 and have never had more than one shot on goal in a game.
Buffalo Sabres can't win faceoffs
The Buffalo Sabres have really struggled, seemingly in every game this season, in the faceoff circle. Through 12 games, the Sabres are last in the NHL in faceoff win percentage at 42.4%, almost two percentage points lower than the next team in the league.
In addition, they are third-worst in faceoff win percentage on power plays (46.4%) and next to last in faceoff win percentage in the offensive zone (43.2%). These are two situations in particular that the Sabres need to improve because it is limiting scoring chances for them in these key situations.
One big reason for this has been the absence of Josh Norris, who suffered an injury early in the season and is one of the better players on the Sabres in the faceoff. However, missing one player won't change everything, and the Sabres need a player like Ryan McLeod to bounce back. Last season, McLeod had a faceoff win percentage of 52.3% but this season it is down all the way to 38%.
This needs to be a point of emphasis for the Buffalo Sabres over the next few days because it would be a big boost to their chances for success.