Lesson learned (again)?
Lindy Ruff said it simply. The Sabres figured they were just going to come out and beat the Montreal Canadiens. They learned (maybe? for maybe the 10th time?) if they don't work, they aren't going to win. The 6-2 whooping by the Habs showed that.
"Maybe that comes on the heels of an 8-4 game, where all of sudden you think, 'We can get another eight,'" the Sabres coach said. "You're not going to get eight against them. You're not going to get eight against many people. I think we got caught in the jet wash of what looked like an easy game."
The 8-4 win over Nashville on Wednesday is already ancient history. This clunker replaced it.
The Sabres are clearly upset with their penalty kill, which has given up goals on six of the last 14 chances over three games. Those are numbers that will keep a team out of the playoffs. The breakdown is understandable. Jochen Hecht is out. Brian Campbell is gone. Tim Connolly can't practice because then he's too sore to play.
Expect some changes in either personnel or practice habits before Sunday's game against Detroit.
"I don't know if the way it's set up right now is going to work," Ruff said.
The Sabres also need to beat the teams in their division. They fell to 10-10-3 against the Northeast, and they play nine of their final 17 games within the division.
"It's a tough division, and I think we've got to do better," center Derek Roy said. "Those are huge points, and if we want to climb up the standings we've got to beat some good teams."
---John Vogl
