The Buffalo Sabres didn't take the ice for practice Friday, one day after a 6-3 drubbing at the hands of the Montreal Canadiens that moved them to the brink of elimination from the 2026 NHL Playoffs. They also didn't hold a video session or a locker-room meeting.
Instead, head coach Lindy Ruff gave his players the morning off and asked them to meet at the airport for the trip to Montreal ahead of Game 6 on Saturday night.
"I know the pressure they're feeling," Ruff said, per Rachel Lenzi of the Buffalo News. "I know how they feel, I know much they care. A day away from the rink is a good thing."
It's hard to second guess the longtime NHL coach, who's in his second stint behind the Buffalo bench. He's showcased a nearly perfect read on what his players need at any given moment, whether it's a bit of public support or a lineup change to provide a spark.
That's why Ruff is a finalist for the Jack Adams Award as the league's Coach of the Year, and he should win that trophy for the second time (the first coming in 2005-06) based on the Sabres' remarkable turnaround to end their 14-year playoff drought.
Yet, the decision to skip practice ahead of an elimination game comes with ample risk. The Habs have utterly dominated the Blue and Gold in three of the last four games. It certainly feels like a few adjustments are in order heading into Game 6.
Can you totally overhaul an approach 93 games into the campaign? Of course not. It seems like taking the ice on Friday to iron out some of the glaring defensive weaknesses that have emerged throughout the second-round series would have made sense, though.
Ruff feels otherwise, and his long track record of success suggests he deserves the benefit of a doubt, but it leaves a clear path to criticism if Buffalo falls flat at the Bell Centre on Saturday.
Lindy Ruff must juggle Buffalo Sabres' lines before Game 6 battle with Montreal Canadiens
Alex Lyon will almost certainly receive the start between the pipes on Saturday night and Buffalo's blue line will continue to lean heavily on the quartet of Rasmus Dahlin, Mattias Samuelsson, Owen Power and Bowen Byram, even if there's a change to the little-used third pair.
So, Ruff's main path to shaking things up will come with adjusting the forward lines.
The Sabres' top line of Tage Thompson, Alex Tuch and Peyton Krebs has been a complete disaster through five games against the Canadiens. They've generated virtually no offense and continue to get caved in defensively, regardless of which Montreal line they're matched up against.
They're not alone in their lack of success, though. In fact, aside from Zach Benson and Josh Doan, pretty much every Buffalo forward has failed to impress. The only other exception is prized prospect Konsta Helenius, who's provided a boost since joining the lineup in Game 4.
As a result, it's time for Ruff and his staff to try some new combinations as they attempt to survive a pair of elimination games to advance.
Here's a look at one way the Sabres could line up for Game 6:
Left Wing | Center | Right Wing |
|---|---|---|
Zach Benson | Konsta Helenius | Josh Doan |
Jason Zucker | Josh Norris | Tage Thompson |
Jack Quinn | Ryan McLeod | Alex Tuch |
Peyton Krebs | Sam Carrick | Beck Malenstyn |
Reward your most productive players.
Benson and Doan have emerged as Buffalo's most dependable tandem. Put Helenius, who's fresh and didn't look out of place at all over the past two games, between them and hope for some magic.
Drop Krebs back down to the fourth line. He played some of his best hockey late in the regular season and at times in the first-round triumph over the Boston Bruins, but he's been a non-factor against the Canadiens. Sam Carrick also returns with hope of a faceoff boost.
Then it's just a middle-six shake up. Getting Thompson and Tuch, who have a case as the Sabres' worst two forwards so far vs. Montreal, away from each other certainly can't hurt, and moving Tage to the wing is something Ruff has previously preferred anyway.
Ultimately, it's an elimination game. You throw everything at the wall and see what sticks. Give these lines a handful of shifts to see if any of them can tilt the ice in Buffalo's favor. If not, you throw the names in a blender and shuffle them again.
The decision not to practice on Friday shows Ruff is trying to make sure his young roster doesn't press a collective panic button. Can he thread the needle of preventing that without losing the necessary urgency the Sabres must play with in Game 6?
We'll find out on Saturday night in Montreal.
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