Buffalo looking to find their offensive mojo after inconsistent first month
Through 15 games, the Buffalo Sabres are 7-7-1 and have not been able to generate any real momentum this season. There have been moments that might inspire optimism, but they are quickly countered by aspects that should generate concern. Although injuries throughout the lineup have necessitated line combination and defensive pairing changes, and the use of three goalies in the opening month of the regular season, these are things that a club must overcome to make the postseason.
"We're going into a game and like 'alright, let's play well, hopefully, we can win' and sometimes we did and sometimes we didn't." Sabres team captain Kyle Okposo said on Monday, "We haven't found for our game yet and we need to get back to doing what makes us successful. We’ve got to stop trying to be like everybody else. We’ve got to be like us. That's when we're powerful and that's when we're at our best."
The Sabres have improved defensively from last season, with the additions of veterans Erik Johnson and Connor Clifton, and an emphasis on being more defensively responsible, but thus far that has seemed to come at the cost of their offense, which is averaging less than three goals per game.
That inconsistency is reflected on special teams as well. Buffalo has improved so far on the penalty kill (currently ranked 10th in the league at 84.5% after finishing 28th in the NHL last season) but has seen an almost identical decline in their power play efficiency from 9th last season to 28th in the NHL this season.
The Sabres have followed up a victory with a loss in the last six games and will hope to get back on the winning side after a shutout loss in Pittsburgh on Saturday, but that will be a difficult task against the Bruins, who have the NHL’s best record at 11-1-2.
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