The Buffalo Sabres failed to mount even a modest comeback attempt in the third period of Thursday night's Game 5 loss to the Montreal Canadiens, which gave the Habs a 3-2 series lead and pushed the Atlantic Division champions to the brink of elimination.
Perhaps more concerning for Buffalo is the fact, for the first time since early December, there was a vibe of defeatism in those final 20 minutes. Head coach Lindy Ruff's group didn't showcase any sign of belief as the clock ticked away in the final frame.
NHL insider Elliotte Friedman of Sportnet sensed the same thing, which he discussed Friday on the 32 Thoughts podcast.
"That was a concerning one," Friedman said. "This has been a tight series back and forth. It's one of those games where you have no room for error, and the Sabres have shown an awful lot this year. This is a big one for them because it's the first time in the playoffs to me they really looked rattled. Rattled at the end of this one."
There was no aura of desperation. There was no feeling that Buffalo was fighting for its playoff life, and any hope inside the KeyBank Center died completely after Habs rising star Ivan Demidov scored a power-play goal early in the third to make the score 6-3.
It extended to the club's postgame comments, too. There was an "aw shucks, we'll get them in the next one" demeanor pretty much across the board.
"They took over in the second, and we didn't have an answer," captain Rasmus Dahlin told reporters. "We’ve got to regroup and focus on the next one."
Here's the problem: If the Sabres lose again Saturday, there are no more next ones. Their memorable turnaround season will be over. So, it's essential everyone in the Buffalo locker room exponentially increases their desperation level in Game 6 (and 7, if necessary).
Yes, the Stanley Cup Playoffs are a roller-coaster ride and there's value in trying to minimize the impact of the highs and lows, but all of that needs to go out the window at this stage. It comes down to playing every shift with maximum intensity, regardless of the score.
The Sabres failed that test in Game 5. How they respond in Game 6 will determine their fate.
Buffalo Sabres' Lindy Ruff shows he's human after making questionable Game 5 goaltending decisions
Ruff has pushed all the right buttons for the Sabres all season. That includes handling the team's three-goalie rotation to near perfection, which is one of the many reasons he was named a worthy finalist for the Jack Adams Award as the NHL's Coach of the Year.
Thursday wasn't a banner night for the franchise legend, though.
Giving the Game 5 start to Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen came with ample risk. Luukkonen was incredibly shaky in Buffalo's first-round playoff triumph over the Boston Bruins, which led to Alex Lyon taking over as the starter in Game 3, and he still didn't look completely comfortable after reclaiming the crease in the club's Game 4 win over the Habs.
Ruff is an old-school coach who's a sucker for sticking with a winning lineup, though. That's particularly true in the postseason, which is why the Sabres rolled out a lineup with no changes in Game 5.
UPL, who's looked downright nervous in the playoffs, predictably wasn't up to the task. He allowed two goals in the first period, including one just nine seconds after Buffalo had grabbed a 2-1 lead, and was constantly behind the play with his puck tracking.
Ruff had another chance to salvage the game by pulling Luukkonen after he allowed a soft third goal midway through the second period, which tied the game. He stuck with him, however, and the score was 5-3 Montreal by the time the horn sounded.
"I think that's one that he would want back. So, if I would've made a decision (earlier), would it have made a difference? Possibly," Ruff said. "But all year, we haven't made it about our goaltender, and we're not gonna make it about our goaltender now."
The Sabres coach switched to Lyon to open the third, but it was too late. The damage was done.
Lyon should start Game 6 and should remain between the pipes for the remainder of Buffalo's postseason stay, whether it lasts one more game or two additional rounds. UPL doesn't look prepared to handle the mental pressure that comes with closely contested playoff games.
By no means are the Sabres goalies the only reason the team is in a 3-2 hole. There's been a systematic defensive breakdown against the Habs that's led to far too many high-danger scoring chances, and credit to Montreal for taking advantage of those at a high rate.
That said, winning in the playoffs requires some timely saves in pretty much every game and it became clear pretty quickly in Game 5 that Luukkonen wasn't ready to provide them. Ruff should have switched to Lyon much earlier in the contest.
He didn't, and now the Sabres are one loss from their playoff run reaching its conclusion.
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