Three Takeaways From The Buffalo Sabres 4-3 Loss To The Calgary Flames
Three Takeaways From The Buffalo Sabres 4-3 Loss To The Calgary FlamesThe Buffalo Sabres were able to post a victory to start their four-game homestand on Tuesday, but in a 4-3 loss to the Calgary Flames on Thursday, they returned to some of the bad habits that cost them a playoff spot last season.
The game saw the Flames take a lead on three occasions, with the Sabres responding quickly to even the score, but Adam Rucizka’s goal at 4:35 of the third period went unanswered, handing Buffalo their third loss in four games to start the season and their second loss at Key Bank Center.
Here are three takeaways from Buffalo’s 4-3 loss to Calgary:
Sabres Slow Out Of The Gate
In all three of their losses, Buffalo has given up the first goal. In the season-opening loss to the NY Rangers last week, they fell behind 3-0 before J-J Peterka scored, two nights later on Long Island, they gave up the first two before coming back to tie the game. On Thursday, the Sabres fell behind 49 seconds into the game when Jonathan Huberdeau scored.
"(Calgary) came out and worked hard, but we didn't really match their intensity." Sabres forward Alex Tuch said after the game. "I think our focus was off at times. I think we can communicate a little bit better out there. I thought we were a little quiet and that comes with some of us veterans not really stepping up and telling guys to talk a little bit more. At times, I thought we controlled the game, but (we were) not consistent enough."
Depending Too Much On Devon
Buffalo gave rookie Devon Levi his fourth start, and while he made some spectacular stops that kept the Sabres in the game (32 saves on the night), the game-winning goal from Adam Ruzicka early in the third was from a bad angle and got through the rookie’s pads.
Head coach Don Granato said earlier in the week that one thing they wanted to do was get Levi into a rhythm and plenty of regular work, likely to establish him as the club’s primary starter, but in spite of all of his potential, putting all that responsibility on the shoulders of a 21-year-old seems unwise.
The More Things Change…..The More They Stay The Same
The Sabres main goal this season was to learn from the defensive mistakes made last year and cut down on the errors, but after four games, the club seems to be following the same pattern and that is something that veteran defenseman Erik Johnson recognizes and hopes that he can help remedy.
"We're going to be able to score goals like that most of the year, but until we have a commitment to team defense we won't accomplish much. We were tied 2-2 with a minute left in the second, we give up a breakaway, an odd man rush and then we give up a 4-on-2 two minutes on the third." Johnson said. "We won't win in the long run like that and that takes a five-man commitment on the ice to do it right and I think sometimes that comes with going through those lumps and sometimes in order to have success, you got to learn from those mistakes".
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