The Buffalo Sabres’ season keeps running into the same wall: special teams.
Through nine games, the combined efficiency of Buffalo’s power play and penalty kill sits at 73.6%, easily the worst number in the NHL. The gap is ugly. The Toronto Maple Leafs are out front at 123.1%, 19 teams are above 100%, and only four clubs are below 85%.
That kind of imbalance can bury a team fast, especially when one of the biggest reasons for last season’s playoff breakthrough was the penalty kill. Buffalo’s PK finished at 81.9% on its own in the year the Sabres finally snapped their 14-year postseason drought.
The latest warning sign came in Saturday night’s overtime loss to the Montreal Canadiens. The Sabres went 0 for 4 on the power play, which pushed their man-advantage success rate down to 9.1%, and Montreal’s first goal of the game came with the extra skater.
Goalie play has drawn plenty of attention over the first few weeks of the season, and for good reason, but the special teams numbers may be an even bigger threat to Buffalo’s chances if they stay this way.
Lindy Ruff went right back to the power play after the game.
“We left quite a few plays out there. We didn't execute.
I didn't think our passing was very sharp tonight. You get the chance on the late power play where we controlled it pretty good, missed a couple opportunities.
We had the great opportunity in overtime. We could have made them pay, but instead it goes the other way and they made us.”
Critics will also point to the departures of Alex Tuch and Bowen Byram, two players Buffalo traded away after it became clear neither was headed toward a long-term extension. Both had become important pieces on special teams.
The Sabres are hoping the returns of Jason Zucker, who helps the power play, and Conor Timmins, who aids the penalty kill, can give both units a lift. But the climb is steep, and it’s hard to imagine one addition fixing everything by itself.
There is still time for the group to settle in. Several young players are adjusting to bigger special-teams roles, and internal growth could change the picture as the season goes on. The problem is simple: Buffalo needs that growth to arrive before too many points are gone.
Even with the loss to Montreal, the Sabres have pushed their point streak to four games. That night also produced another edition of the player grades from the OT defeat.
Zach Benson finished as Buffalo’s player of the game. The 21-year-old winger still hasn’t scored his first goal of the season, but he does lead the team with 4.66 individual expected goals, according to Natural Stat Trick. His finish around the net is still the missing piece, but everything else is showing up.
Against the Canadiens, Benson had an assist, three shots on goal, two penalty minutes on a highly questionable call, a takeaway and a plus-one rating. His forechecking, backchecking and transition work continue to stand out, and he keeps doing a little of everything while also trying to get under opponents’ skin. He has quietly become one of the NHL’s more complete wingers.
That’s part of why he’s played more than 21 minutes in each of the last two games.
One other quick note from the Sabres’ postgame picture: Ryan McLeod is still searching for the steady two-way game he’s usually known for. The line changes probably aren’t helping, but Buffalo needs more from him.
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