Another wasted opportunity…….
One could say that the Sabres stole a point in the ‘Canes games on Saturday night. As the saying goes, what goes around comes around as the Sabres failed to convert on multiple opportunities and lost 3-2 in a shootout to the New York Rangers.
Sure, the Sabres were extremely shorthanded on the blue line as they lost two defensemen to injury during the game, and Nathan Paetsch was shaken up a bit on a hard check from Sean Avery. Yet with the position the Sabres are in right now every point that can be had must be taken, and that didn’t happen.
Not that they didn’t have their cracks at it. To name a few….a five on three power play that went the full two minutes where Buffalo struggled at times to keep in their own end. In all there were six power plays for the Sabres in the first two stanzas with only one conversion on a Vanek deflection of a Pominville blast from the blue line.
In the third period, Ranger goalie Henrik Lundqvist mishandled a puck behind the net and Drew Stafford tried to sneak it into the empty net, no luck as the puck whizzed harmlessly through the crease. And when the game went to OT, Max found himself on a breakaway and couldn’t convert. It felt like game 5 of the Carolina series all over again.
And with the Sabres having such a hideous shootout record, one couldn’t help but think the Rangers were going to be the team coming away with the two points. They would on Scott Gomez’ shot past the outstretched pad of Ryan Miller near the left post.
So if there is a bright side, it’s that the Sabres did get a point and did close the gap to three on the eighth place Flyers(who do have a game in hand on Buffalo). But with time running out on the season, all that matters is getting the two points and climbing the ladder.
Useless notes:Thomas Vanek scored for the first time in five games(MTL 2/29). The Rangers sweep the Sabres for the season with the win, the complete opposite of last season in which Buffalo took all four contests. The loss was the fourth in a row at home for Buffalo.
Next up - @ Pittsburgh Wednesday, Carolina Friday, and that silly blue and white Canadian team on Saturday.
Time is running out….tick, tick, tick!!
