The Buffalo Sabres are looking to bounce back after a disheartening 4-0 loss in the season opener to the New York Rangers. They are set to take on a Boston Bruins team that has played well to start the season, winning their first two games under new head coach Marco Sturm.
When looking back at the Rangers game on Thursday night, these are three areas they need to improve in this game against the Bruins if the Buffalo Sabres hope to come away with a win.
Buffalo Sabres must get off to a fast start
In the game on Thursday night, the New York Rangers controlled the first period and the Sabres seemed to be on their heels. The Rangers would score the first goal of the game about halfway through the first period, but that wasn't the full story, as they were out-shooting Buffalo at one point 18-2.
The Sabres absolutely need a fast start in this game, not only to build their confidence but also to take the Bruins fans out of the game. If they can get the early lead, it allows them to dictate the flow of the game more.
Last season, when the Sabres scored first while on the road, they were 10-8-3 but when the opposing team scored first, they were 3-16-1. An early goal won't guarantee a win, but if they don't score first, it might guarantee a loss.
Buffalo Sabres need to win in the faceoff circle
The New York Rangers handled the Buffalo Sabres pretty definitively in the faceoff circle by winning 65% of the faceoffs in the game on Thursday night. This is another thing that was forcing the Sabres to chase the Rangers and not necessarily play their game.
The Bruins have been pretty good at this through the first two games, led by Elias Lindstrom, who has a faceoff percentage of 69% and Casey Mittelstadt at about 63%. If the Sabres can win the faceoff and control the puck, it will allow them to play their game again and set themselves up for potentially high-quality shots.
Capitalize on the power play
This last one is something that has been an issue for a while now and it is unlikely they are going to completely fix it two days after the Rangers game. However, one of the big reasons the Sabres lost to the Rangers was their inability to capitalize on the power play.
While the final score looks like a blowout, the game against the Rangers was competitive for a majority of the game. It was only a one-goal lead for New York for most of it and if the Sabres converted one of the power plays they had in the third period, it would have ended up being a tie game and the flow of the game changes drastically.
The Bruins have done an excellent job in killing penalties this season and in the two games this season have killed all 8 power plays their opponents have. This last area feels unlikely but a power play goal is something that could significantly shift momentum to Buffalo and get them their first win of the season.