Buffalo have been outscored 11-1 in the first period of their last four losses
The Buffalo Sabres may have been capable of recovering from early deficits with the high-powered offense that was third in the NHL last season, but this year’s club has struggled to score and has displayed the self-destructive tendency of falling behind early in games.
This was on display once again in a 2-1 loss to Nashville on Sunday, where the Sabres fell behind in the first period on goals by Filip Forsberg and Yakov Trenin in the span of 74 seconds and were unable to recover.
"We didn't have the energy, the confidence, mojo, swagger, fearlessness...however you want to describe it. We were hesitant at the start." Granato said. "I think we were a different team after (the penalty shot). We needed to be a different team before that."
The Sabres were more energetic after Victor Olofsson’s penalty shot goal midway through the second period but were unable to tie the game mostly because of the stellar goaltending of Nashville’s Juuse Saros.
In their last four regulation losses to New Jersey, St. Louis, Carolina, and Nashville, the Sabres have allowed 11 first-period goals and have only scored one. Something that the players are aware of, but at this point unable to rectify.
"We play completely differently when we're down and that's how we need to play right off the bat. We need to play like we're desperate." Sabres forward Dylan Cozens said after the game. Right off the bat before we get down two goals because I know it's tough to come back from that. We've been doing that a lot lately, getting down earlier. You just need to have better starts."
The Sabres hope to snap their three-game losing skid on Tuesday against the Detroit Red Wings.
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