Something is seriously wrong if the Sabres can’t score on the Penguins tonight

The Buffalo Sabres, for all it’s worth, have been a flat team so far in 2024-25, scoring three goals in their first three games before their outburst vs. the Florida Panthers. Not great, but at least they gave everyone in the Sabrehood encouragement following their most recent outing. So, where does that leave them heading into their road opener against the Pittsburgh Penguins?

Well, since all signs point to the Penguins starting Tristan Jarry tonight, the Blue and Gold better have a repeat performance, or else something is seriously wrong here. For one, it indicates that the Sabres are some of the least of the Penguins concerns if they’re starting Jarry, who should be falling out of favor quickly in the Steel City. 

Heading into tonight’s game, Jarry has one win in two starts, but he’s also logged a 0.000 quality starts percentage, a 4.50 GAA, and an 0.866 save percentage off of 67 shots against. Some may cut him some slack based on the fact he’s faced an average of 33.5 shots on goal per game, but it adds credence that the Sabres can’t mess this up. 

Sabres can’t make yet another mediocre goaltender look good against Pens

Living in the Pittsburgh area, I often hear rumblings about the Penguins, so I know how many of these fans feel about Tristan Jarry. Despite some impeccable performances last season and even further into the past, a smaller number of fans have a high opinion of him, at least from what I’ve heard, and these days, I can see why. 

That said, if everything goes to plan and Jarry is the guy tonight, the Blue and Gold cannot, by any means, make him look like a Vezina contender. Not after they averaged one goal per contest in their first three outings before exploding for five goals vs. Florida. 

No, the Sabres need to look at this game as an opportunity to score, score, and score some more, and keep pressuring Jarry and what looks like a ticky-tacky team defensively. Should they make Jarry look like the future 1B that he probably is, thanks to the arrival of Joel Blomqvist, the Sabres will enter Game 6 of their long season in high spirits. 

But if they revert to the team they were in Games 1 through 3, something is seriously wrong in Buffalo, and I no longer need to inform you on what the issue is, but it begins with the word ‘top-six’ and ends with the word ‘scorer.’