Lack of scoring sinking Sabres

                                          Photo by David Sherman

Story seen on alongtheboards.com

Currently, the Buffalo Sabres are on pace to score less goals this year than last year’s 30^th overall finish. That is hard to do.

Through 17 games this year, the Sabres are off to a horrid record of three wins, 15 losses and two overtime losses. Yes, three wins in 17 games. 

That gives Buffalo eight points, good for last place in the Atlantic Division, Eastern Conference and the National Hockey League. What is even uglier is their goal differential at -39 goals. That is dead last in the NHL and the next lowest team is Columbus at -17. That is a total difference of 22 goals.

Now let’s be honest, everyone figured Buffalo was going to be bad, but this bad? A -39 goal differential bad? Buffalo has scored a whopping 21 goals and allowed 60 goals. 

At the end of the season last year, Buffalo finished with a -91 goal differential. The Stanley Cup champion Los Angeles Kings were +32 and the President’s Trophy winning Boston Bruins were a +84. How low is Buffalo’s goal differential going to be this year?

You wouldn’t be able to tell by looking at the stats, but Buffalo’s strongest asset has still been goaltending. First year Sabre Michal Neuvirth is quietly moving his way to become Buffalo’s number one goaltender. In eight games with year, Neuvirth has a record of two wins, five losses and one overtime loss. In those eight games, Neuvirth has a save percentage of .915 and a goals against average of 3.07. Sadly, those are good numbers for goalies who end up faces close to 50 shots on a nightly basis. 

As for Buffalo’s offense, 21 goals in 17 games is pretty bad. That is on average, 1.2 goals a game. How does that happen in the NHL?

Buffalo only has three players who have over five points. Five points in 17 games.

The always streaky Drew Stafford leads the way with three goals, six assists for nine points. Next up is Tyler Ennis who has five goals, three assists for eight points. The third and final player who has at least five points is Zemgus Girgensons in only his second season in the NHL. Girgensons has three goals and three assists for six points this year.

Guys like Matt Moulson, Brian Gionta and Cody Hodgson have been about as noticeable as Casper the friendly ghost.

Moulson, a three-time 30 goal scorer has one goal and three assists for four points. Gionta, the team’s new captain has zero goals and three assists. The biggest disappoint could be Hodgson. Last year’s leader scorer and former 10^th overall pick by the Vancouver Canucks. He only has a goal and an assist this year. Hodgson has been in head coach Ted Nolan’s doghouse this year and could find himself as a healthy scratch soon to make room for the return of Patrick Kaleta.