Sabres Fall To Final Wildcard Spot After Loss

The Buffalo Sabres five-game winning streak came to an end on Saturday, as the Montreal Canadiens scored three third period goals in a 4-2 victory. The Sabres held a 2-1 lead on goals by Owen Power and Noah Ostlund, but could not contain Montreal sniper Cole Caufield, scored the game-tying and game-winning goals. 

With the win, the Habs moved into sole position of third place in the Atlantic Division, and on Sunday, the Bruins moved ahead of Buffalo, with a loser point in a 6-5 shootout loss to Tampa Bay in the Stadium Series. With three games to go until the Olympic break, the Sabres now reside in the second wildcard spot, six points ahead of the surging Columbus Blue Jackets and Washington Capitals. 

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While most who have observed the Sabres magical run in December and January – where they have gone 20-4-1 – believe the club has finally turned the corner, the final third of the season will be the greatest challenge for Buffalo. 

The nearly three-week Olympic break is coming at the worst possible time for the Sabres. The positive aspect that it will allow injured players such as Josh Norris, Jordan Greenway, Justin Danforth, and Jiri Kulich to work their way to get back in the lineup is outweighed by the fact that Buffalo has been the hottest club in the league. 

There is no way to know how the break will affect the Sabres. They may continue on their winning ways where they left off, but there is also the possibility of them going back returning to the club that struggled through October and November. 

Only time will tell.   

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