The Buffalo Sabres advanced past the Boston Bruins in the opening round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs without a goal from anyone on the line of Ryan McLeod, Jack Quinn and Jason Zucker. They likely won't enjoy the same fate if that remains the case against the Montreal Canadiens.
That trio was one of the NHL's best lines coming out of the Olympic break in February, and they earned so much trust from head coach Lindy Ruff that they were frequently tasked with starting the period on the ice against the opponent's top line.
McLeod, Quinn and Zucker went silent against the Bruins, though. The Sabres were outscored 4-2 and generated just 41.2% of the expected goals when they were on the ice together at 5-on-5, according to Natural Stat Trick. Buffalo otherwise held an 11-3 edge in 5-on-5 goals in the series.
That's a stark contrast from the regular season when that line outscored opponents 29-18 and posted a 52.5% expected goal share, per NST.
McLeod admitted the Bruins did well to counteract the things his group did well throughout the year.
"Yeah, I think Boston did a good job against our line," the center told reporters Monday. "We're pretty good off the rush. I think they kinda shut us down on that. So, we gotta tweak a couple things for the next series to kinda be more effective in other ways. We're looking for a good answer here."
It appears Ruff remains willing to give the trio more time together to work through the slump as McLeod, Quinn and Zucker stayed on the same line at Tuesday's practice.
The Sabres and Habs open the second-round series Wednesday night at the KeyBank Center.
Konsta Helenius joins Buffalo Sabres' main practice group ahead of Montreal Canadiens series
There was an interesting development Tuesday morning as Helenius, a member of Buffalo's "Black Aces" squad, joined the main roster for practice.
Helenius, one of the Sabres' top prospects, didn't take part in line rushes and was wearing a separately colored jersey alongside likely scratches Sam Carrick, Tanner Pearson, Josh Dunne and Colten Ellis, as reported by Matthew Bove of WKBW.
The 19-year-old Finnish forward put together a tremendous season with the AHL's Rochester Americans, tallying 62 points (21 goals and 41 assists) in 63 regular-season games before adding two goals and a helper in three playoff contests before the Amerks' elimination.
Helenius also enjoyed a strong first stint with the Sabres from mid-January through early February, a nine-game stint highlighted by a three-point performance in a win over the Nashville Predators.
The number nine is key, though. That means one more appearance with Buffalo would burn the first year of his entry-level contract, which is why the front office has treated him like a "break glass in case of emergency" option during the stretch run of the regular season and early in the playoffs.
Now that the Sabres are one of just eight teams left in the Stanley Cup pursuit, however, it comes down to icing your best players, regardless of the circumstances.
In turn, it wouldn't be a surprise if Helenius, the No. 14 overall pick in the 2024 NHL Draft, enters the conversation if the club's offense sputters at any point during the series against Montreal.
Whether it's continued struggles from the McLeod line or issues, injury or otherwise, popping up elsewhere in the top-nine forward group, there's no doubt the prized prospect represents the replacement option with the most offensive upside.
The Sabres' scoring depth took a hit with Noah Ostlund suffering an injury against the Bruins, and the rookie forward isn't expected to return in the Habs series. Carrick could boost the fourth line with his return, but he's unlikely to climb the lineup card.
So, Buffalo head coach Lindy Ruff is giving Helenius a taste of postseason practice intensity just in case he's needed against the Canadiens, or at some point down the line.
If not, it'll still represent valuable experience for the promising prospect as he prepares for an important summer before likely joining the Sabres full time in 2026-27.
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