Ottawa, ON (WGR 550) – The Buffalo Sabres have been winning hockey games this season because they set a high standard and met it most nights. Thursday was not one of those nights as they missed a chance to clinch their first playoff spot since 2011 losing to the desperate Ottawa Senators, 4-1. This was really a 2-1 game as the Sens scored two empty netters, but by then the Sabres were losing every battle. On the postgame show Lindy Ruff said,
“They took over the game, the last two periods they out skated, they out competed, their desperation level was just higher than ours, they were better than us, it’s as simple as that.
“They won more battles, you look at the empty net, the fourth goal, we had four guys in the corner, they had one and they’re going to come out and score an empty net goal? We dump it in and just give them a breakaway (2-on-0) on the 6-on-5? We weren’t good enough to win the game.”
Jason Zucker was in lockstep with his head coach he said,
“I don’t think we stressed them enough, I don’t think we did our part, I don’t think we skated well enough, I don’t think we put them into positions to have to defend us, I don’t think we did a good enough job getting pucks on net.”
The players of course all knew they had a chance to clinch with a win. Zucker said,
“Last I checked, we’re not in the playoffs yet, so we got a lot of work to do, I don’t think we have any panic in our room, but we have some stuff that we have to have more urgency towards.”
Zucker doesn’t need a letter on his sweater to be a leader. He’s been in this league for 15 years and has played in 52 playoff games and he said he expects more out of himself when it comes to leadership,
“I think I should’ve been more vocal, I don’t feel I did a good enough job today in talking to our guys, so I’ll take a lot of that blame tonight.”
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen started his third straight game for only the third time this season and played very well. In the three games Luukkonen went 2-1-0 with a 2.29 goals against and .917 save percentage. He has not started four consecutive games all season.
What didn’t help is the Sabres two best players were awful. With a 1-0 lead, Rasmus Dahlin made a play that you just can’t have out of your superstar captain. Dahlin failed to clear the puck and turned it over at his own blue. He compounded that by letting Dylan Cozens blow right past him to tip in the game tying goal. Tage Thompson was invisible in this game. I don’t know if Ottawa just decided to take him out of the game saying “You’re not going to be the guy to beat us” or if he just didn’t show up. Honestly I didn’t even know he played. Thompson and Dahlin have spent pretty much their whole careers in Buffalo and have done nothing, but lose. To say I was surprised they played like that in a game where they could clinch their first playoff spot ever was a shock.
These are two very prideful men and I expect will see two totally different players on Saturday.
When Lars Eller tipped in the game-winning goal Zach Metsa was on the ice. It marked the first time since October that the 27-year-old rookie was on the ice for a goal against. It’s only the third goal against he’s been on the ice for all season.
The Tampa Bay Lightning are back in first place in the Atlantic Division with a points percentage of .667. Buffalo is now .658. The Montreal Canadiens are riding a seven-game winning streak and are at .653. The Carolina Hurricanes lead the Eastern Conference at .680.
On Saturday while the Sabres are in Washington to face the Capitals, the Boston Bruins are at Tampa Bay, Montreal travels to New Jersey to play the Devils and Carolina hosts the New York Islanders.
