The Sabres are still waiting for their home offense to catch up with the way they’ve been playing in spurts at KeyBank Center, and Sunday’s first period against Vegas was the latest reminder.
Buffalo came out flying, piling up 14 shots on goal and 2.19 expected goals in the opening frame, but Adin Hill shut the door and the Sabres came away empty. It wasn’t an isolated case, either. Their three biggest first-period shot totals at home this season - 17 against San Jose, 16 versus Philadelphia and 14 versus Vegas - have all ended with zero goals.
“You go through it throughout seasons. Obviously, we’re starting the year like that, so it’s magnified a bit, but we have to be better and finish more,” said Zach Benson, who had a point-blank rebound chance in the final seconds of Sunday’s first period.
“We had a heck of a first period and we’re dominating - you get a couple, and that game is completely different. We have to bear down, but just got to stick with it, keep getting to the right areas and keep putting pucks there.”
That’s the frustrating part for Buffalo: the process has looked good enough to make the building feel like it should tilt in their favor, but the finish hasn’t followed. The Sabres want home ice to feel heavy for opponents, and that starts with the kind of opening push they showed Sunday. The challenge is stretching that pressure past the first 20 minutes, even when the puck refuses to go in.
“We just can’t get bored playing the right way, especially against a team like that,” Beck Malenstyn said. “… I think we need to just have that maturity in our game where we look at that and know that we’re doing the right things, and if we keep doing that, it’s gonna break open.”
The next test comes Wednesday against a Tampa Bay team that has been hard to solve, with the Lightning sitting at 11-4-2. Still, Buffalo has had its moments against them. The Sabres scored 21 goals in four meetings last season, including that wild 8-7 win on home ice in March.
“Honestly, can’t even put into words how much fun it was, and the building was rocking,” Benson reflected, “so hopefully we have another game like that tomorrow.”
In Other News...
Sabres Suddenly Face A Bigger Problem Than One Bad Loss
The Sabres latest stumble against Tampa Bay did more than add another loss to the ledger. It sharpened the questions already hanging over a team that has been trying to find some consistency, with Rasmus Dahlin and Tage Thompson both pointing to the need for sharper play across the board. When a game ends with the kind of defensive breakdowns, shaky goaltending and special-teams issues Buffalo has been dealing with, it becomes less about one bad night and more about a pattern the club has to confront.
Thompson still gave Buffalo something to build on with his offensive work, and he remains on pace for a strong scoring season. But the bigger concern for the Sabres is whether that production can matter if the rest of the lineup keeps leaving them exposed. The grades from the game reflected that imbalance, and for a team trying to climb out of its own way, the margin for these kinds of losses is getting thinner. [Read more 🡒]
Sabres Loss To Tampa Exposed A Problem Fans Wont Ignore
The Sabres latest trip through Tampa Bay turned into one of those nights that can linger long after the final horn. The Lightning jumped out fast with four goals, Buffalo briefly steadied itself by scoring three straight to make things interesting, and then the game slipped away again in a way that felt all too familiar for a team still trying to find consistency in its own end.
Nikita Kucherov was at the center of the damage for Tampa Bay, and the sequence that followed Buffalos push only sharpened the frustration. After the Sabres allowed a goal on a backhand shot, the response on the bench said plenty about how the night was unfolding, and it left another reminder of how quickly a game can tilt when the margin for error disappears. [Read more 🡒]
Sabres Have A Tough Choice If Penguins Start Selling
If the Penguins decide to move veterans, Buffalo could have real reason to pay attention. Bryan Rust and Rickard Rakell both fit the kind of forward help the Sabres have been looking for, and either one would bring a different layer to a group that could use more proven scoring and playoff experience. Rust has long been valued for his all-around game, while Rakell has remained a name to watch in trade chatter because of what he can still provide offensively.
The fit is easy to see from Buffalos side, but the timing is complicated by what Pittsburgh does next. Rusts injury situation and Rakells recent surge only add to the intrigue, because the Penguins may not be in a hurry to make anything simple. For the Sabres, the question is whether they can strike if the market opens, and whether the price for that kind of upgrade becomes worth paying. [Read more 🡒]