The Buffalo Sabres struggled once again on the road Friday night as they lost 4-1 to the Winnipeg Jets. This is now the second game in a row on their six-game road trip that they have lost, but it is also notable since they beat the Jets pretty easily earlier this week by a score of 5-1.
It was a lackluster performance for the Sabres, and head coach Lindy Ruff might have seen enough with the recent lines. After the game, he hinted at the fact that it might be time for a big shakeup.
"They [Buffalo Sabres top guys] do have to produce and it might just be time to shake up, big shake up in the lines and try to get something going," Ruff said.
On Friday night against the Winnipeg Jets this was the forward lines the Sabres started the game with:
Wing | Center | Wing |
|---|---|---|
Zach Benson | Josh Norris | Tage Thompson |
Jason Zucker | Ryan McLeod | Jack Quinn |
Josh Doan | Noah Ostlund | Alex Tuch |
Jordan Greenway | Peyton Krebs | Beck Malenstyn |
This is close to what the Sabres expected their lines to look like during training camp, but they have dealt with injuries for most of the season, and they have really only used them in the last three games since Josh Norris returned. The surprising point is that the forwards looked great in that first game against the same Winnipeg Jets.
However, they have really struggled on the road, especially this top line. In the first game together, Benson/Norris/Thompson combined for six points, but in the two games since, they have combined for only two points. The problem is that those two points didn't even come when these three were together on the ice, as they were both power play assists by Norris.
Buffalo Sabres need to also look to shake up their defensive pairs
While the question asked to Ruff was more about the forwards, they need to go back and evaluate the defensive pairs they have been putting out there.
Defensemen | |
|---|---|
Mattias Samuelsson | Rasmus Dahlin |
Bo Byram | Connor Timmins |
Owen Power | Jacob Bryson |
The Sabres are missing Michael Kesselring and that certainly plays a factor in these defensive pairs, but he is not expected back at any point during this road trip. With four more games left on this road trip they need to think about making some changes here.
On Friday night, the pair of Byram and Timmins was the biggest weak point for this defense as they had the second and third worst xGF Rel according to Natural Stat Trick at -21.75 and -19.67, respectively.
The Sabres are now off for two days before their next game on Monday against the Calgary Flames. This should give the coaching staff enough time to sit down and re-evaluate these lines that hopefully can help them turn this road trip around.
One thing is clear, that the Sabres need a change and the last thing they can do is keep things the same going into Monday night.