Any way you want to frame it, losing three straight games to start the season is a disaster for the Buffalo Sabres. The Sabres‘ third straight defeat came Monday at the hands of the Colorado Avalanche — a legitimate Stanley Cup frontrunner — and once again, offense was a problem for Buffalo.
To wit: The Sabres only managed a single run for the second straight game. Buffalo has just two goals combined in their three games. You do the math.
The Sabres weren’t even close to good enough to beat the New York Rangers or the Boston Bruins in Games 1 and 2. Buffalo’s offense has been feeble, to say the least, because after Monday’s game, the Sabres now have the 32nd-ranked offense in the league.
Indeed, it’s been a nightmare beginning to Buffalo’s season. And the worst part could be soon to come.
By which, we mean the Sabres’ schedule is relentless in its quality of opponent. Buffalo is taking on the Ottawa Senators in their next game. And after that, they’ll square off against the Florida Panthers, Montreal Canadiens, Detroit Red Wings, Toronto Maple Leafs (twice) and Columbus Blue Jackets. And just like that, more than 10 percent of the Sabres’ season will be over.
Injury-Plagued Sabres Having Worst-Case-Scenario Start To Season
The news from Buffalo Sabres coach Lindy Ruff was about as bad as it can get for a hockey team — Buffalo’s first-line center, Josh Norris, will be on the sidelines for the foreseeable future after being injured in the Sabres’ first game of the season Thursday.
And while it’s true you can’t earn a Stanley Cup playoff spot by the end of October, it’s also true you can start to bury your playoff aspirations within the league’s first month. That’s the very real possibility for Buffalo in these next seven games. If they can’t generate wins in the next few weeks, the Sabres will be chasing a post-season berth for what could be a very long time.
The particulars of Buffalo’s three losses don’t really matter. The reality is all anyone ultimately cares about is that the Sabres are once again in the basement of their division. Even an overtime and/or shootout loss would be more encouraging than the start that Buffalo has gotten out to.
Norris Out Long-Term After Being Injured In Opener
One of the things that the Buffalo Sabres needed to make a legitimate run at the Stanley Cup Playoffs was a healthy Josh Norris playing on the top line as a #1 center, setting up sniper Tage Thompson.That hope lasted just one game, as Sabres head coach Lindy Ruff announced on Saturday that Norris will be out a “significant period of time†after being injured in the clubâ€s 4-0 loss to the New York Rangers on Thursday.
You can’t make any definitive statements about the Sabres after three games. But you can definitely say that Buffalo is in the worst spot imaginable, and nothing less than a quick-and-major competitive turnaround will ensure the Sabres’ season begins to circle the drain.
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