The Buffalo Sabres looked completely overmatched in their last two games, losses to the Dallas Stars and Utah Mammoth by a combined score of 8-1. They certainly didn't resemble the team that took the NHL by storm during the second half of last season.
Sabres center Josh Norris admitted the club is learning the realities of no longer being overlooked by opponents on a nightly basis.
"Teams are playing us harder and definitely smarter now, so it's on us to keep developing our game, too, and finding different ways to score," Norris told Bill Hoppe of the Times Herald.
Buffalo's offense came out of the gates strong, scoring seven goals over the first two games, but it's found the net just three times over the last three contests. Struggles lighting the lamp are a main reason the team's record has dropped to 2-3-0.
The Sabres are still generating chances at a decent rate, ranking 10th in the league at 3.4 expected goals per 60 minutes in all situations (via Natural Stat Trick), but they've failed to convert most of their high-danger looks. Head coach Lindy Ruff has mentioned a few times he believes the players may be gripping their sticks a little too tight, hinting the pressure is taking a toll.
Norris is confident they're going to turn things around.
"You're gonna go through stretches throughout the year where you're not gonna score, and we're going through it right now," he told Hoppe. "We're gonna get over it. It will be fine. But it's on us to collectively get on the same page and find a way. That's what it's about. It's not always gonna be easy. It's a hard league. It's hard to score."
Until that happens, however, don't be surprised if Ruff keeps changing his lineup until something clicks. That could include a game or two in the press box for Norris, who's tallied no goals and one assist through the first five games of the new campaign.
The 27-year-old Michigan native has continued to deal with injury issues since his arrival to Western New York, but he's typically been productive when healthy, posting 36 points (14 goals and 22 assists) in 47 games over the previous season and a half.
He's far from the only player failing to meet expectations, though. Tage Thompson and Owen Power, who are tied for the team lead with five points, are the only players with more than three points so far.
It's going to take a team-wide uptick in performance for the Buffalo offense to get back on track.
Meanwhile, let's analyze the latest installment of our Sabres player grades series following Saturday's lopsided loss to the Mammoth.
Buffalo Sabres' concerns build in lackluster defeat by Utah Mammoth
Sabres Player Grades
Player | Grade (1-10) |
|---|---|
Rasmus Dahlin | 7 |
Tage Thompson | 6 |
Josh Doan | 5.5 |
Noah Ostlund | 5 |
Zach Benson | 5 |
Owen Power | 4.5 |
Mattias Samuelsson | 4.5 |
Peyton Krebs | 4 |
Ryan McLeod | 4 |
Justin Danforth | 3.5 |
Olen Zellweger | 3.5 |
Zach Metsa | 3 |
Jack Quinn | 3 |
Colten Ellis | 3 |
Josh Norris | 2.5 |
Beck Malenstyn | 2.5 |
Louis Crevier | 2 |
Sam Carrick | 2 |
Tyson Kozak | 1.5 |
Buffalo Player of the Game: Rasmus Dahlin
We could have selected nobody for the second straight game. The Sabres just aren't getting any standout performances right now. Their only goal against Utah came at a tough-angle wrist shot by Thompson. It was another outing where they were simply outplayed across the board.
That said, Dahlin did enough to warrant a minor spotlight. He assisted on Tage's power-play goal, put four shots on goal and blocked a game-high five shots. It's early, but he's on pace for 218 blocks, which would shatter his previous career best (154).
It wasn't a perfect night for the Buffalo captain, however, as he recorded five giveaways. Turning the puck over has been another one of the Blue and Gold's issues so far in 2026-27.
Sabres Quick Hits
- Ruff scratched two of the team's young offensively minded players, Jiri Kulich and Konsta Helenius, in favor of a lineup more focused on work rate. It didn't work, but it'll be interesting to see how Kulich and Helenius respond to the healthy scratch.
- Colten Ellis could have staked his claim for a legitimate shot at the No. 1 role with a terrific game, but he couldn't keep a talented Mammoth offense at bay.
- Sam Carrick skated less than nine minutes and hasn't looked like the high-impact fourth liner that he was after being acquired ahead of last season's trade deadline.
- The Sabres play a holiday matinee (1 p.m. ET) against the Atlantic Division rival Florida Panthers on Monday afternoon at the KeyBank Center.
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