Slowly, but surely, the Buffalo Sabres seem to be gaining momentum. Even in losses, they are earning a point which will no doubt be invaluable down the stretch run when every point matters for a playoff push. That said, the Sabres needed to get back in the win column on Thursday night against the Boston Bruins.
Though they battled back, they lost their third consecutive game in overtime, falling to the Bruins 4-3. There are a few key takeaways from this one, though it is worth pointing out that the Sabres are 3-1-3 over their last seven games. Let’s take a deeper live at the latest overtime loss.
They Showed Good Resilience…
Changes are happening throughout the lineup and this looks like a different team in a lot of ways. One of the most important differences is that this team doesn’t fall apart when they fall behind. Sabres of recent seasons would have fallen behind 3-1 and simply packed it in but this group did not.
Goals from Josh Doan and Alex Tuch late in the third period brought the Sabres roaring back. Watching the game, it felt like the Sabres were the better team throughout, but Bruins goalie Joonas Korpisalo played well enough to keep the Bruins ahead.
Loss in overtime aside, it is encouraging to see the Sabres continue to push even when the odds are against them. It should be no surprise that Doan was at the center of the push, and he’s made a strong case for Team MVP so far this season.
…But They Can’t Win in Overtime or on the Road
With the positivity out of the way, it’s time to talk about two of the biggest issues facing this team: it can’t win on the road and it can’t win in overtime. This is the third overtime loss in a row, all of them 4-3 finals (the Blue Jackets and Maple Leafs preceding this one).
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Yes, it is great that they are still earning points and showing improvement. At this stage, however, they can’t just be better they have to be good. The difference between where they are and where good teams are is that the latter find ways to win in overtime and garner that extra point.
The Sabres are 0-2-2 on the road so far this season and need to get right. Even if you are excellent at home, you are going to struggle to make the playoffs if you can’t win on the road. This is a young team that needs to figure out how to get it done away from its own barn.
Rasmus Dahlin Needs to Take Fewer Risks
Though he does a lot right – he had the primary assist on Tuch’s game-tying goal – Rasmus Dahlin has been standing out this season at times for the worst reason possible. He has made critical turnovers at critical moments, leading to disaster for the Sabres.
On Thursday night in overtime against the Bruins, he attempted a move in the Bruins’ zone, eventually falling down and turning the puck over. The Bruins went the other way on a 3-on-1 before Marat Khusnutdinov buried the game-winner.
Dahlin had an egregious turnover that led directly to a goal in the Colorado game, and it seems at times like he’s pressing too hard. Given the fact that the Sabres were in the middle of a change and he was by himself, Dahlin should have taken the safe play and retreated to try again instead of taking a risk and ultimately costing his team.
A Point is a Point
We’re looking on the bright side of things here, so a point is a point. Yes, the Sabres are tied for sixth in the Atlantic Division, but they are two points out of third place. This is a tightly contested division so far where no one is outright bad.
For that reason, it is important that the Sabres not leave extra points on the table. Grabbing at least one point is great in the long run and will make a difference when things get tight down the stretch.
