3-0

[Brewin Flames]

SABRES STAY UNBEATEN

BY RYAN DADOUN

October 20, 2021, 2:20 am ET

Updated On: October 20, 2021, 2:57 am ET

 

The Buffalo Sabres had an embarrassing 2020-21 campaign, which resulted in their 10th straight season without a playoff berth.

 

After that the Sabres basically resigned themselves to starting the rebuilding process all over again. Rasmus Ristolainen and Sam Reinhart were dealt over the summer. Jack Eichel is in limbo as he waits for the Sabres to trade him to a team he hopes will give him permission to have the surgery he wants.

 

So to recap, the Sabres went 15-34-7 in 2020-21 and then entered 2021-22 without their scoring leader from last season, the defensemen who averaged the most minutes for them, and their former captain and centerpiece.

 

So naturally Buffalo is 3-0-0 to start the campaign.

 

To make the story better, goaltending has been a key part of the Sabres’ early success. Craig Anderson, who is 40-years-old and played in all of four regular season games in 2020-21, has posted a 1.50 GAA and .954 save percentage in his first two starts this season.

 

When Dustin Tokarski got his chance to start, the 32-year-old journeyman saved 20 of 21 shots to lift the Sabres to a 2-1 win over Arizona. If you picked Anderson and Tokarski to be a top goaltending duo entering this season you would have been laughed at, but at least in the early days of the campaign, they’ve been playing like one.

 

 

But then these are just the early days and if there’s one thing the Sabres have been good at in recent years, it’s creating false hope. Back in 2019-20 they got off to a 9-2-1 start en route to a 30-31-8 campaign.

 

In 2018-19 they went on an incredible 10-game winning streak from Nov. 8-27, which pushed them up to 17-6-2 by the end of it. They still finished that season 33-39-10.

 

So we’ll see if these Sabres can continue to beat the odds. Even if they don’t though, for a rebuilding squad that entered the season with no expectations, they’ve been fun.

[Buffalo Rick]

We will get Middlestadt back soon.  He is going to help big time.  I like him alot. Cant say the same for Jokuharu.  I hope he stays put.  Fine without him.   Eichel needs to stop his crap and just get the fusion and get out there.  I am wondering if the early success might motivate him? Who knows.  Get the damn surgery Eichel.  The Sabres are 3-0, but they are not a lucky 3-0.  Like Anaheim has been lucky because Gibson has stood on his head as they say.  The Sabres are outshooting and outplaying their opponents.  And if they fall behind they dont quit.  So this coach is making a difference. Okposo is playing very well, as is Girgensons.  Skinner is starting to look like his old beastly self.  Maybe Montreal is a team we can bounce out?