The Buffalo Sabres finished the 2017-18 season with the worst record in the NHL. That only makes their current form all the more remarkable, as the team has now won 10 straight to put themselves at the top of the standings after 25 games this year.
Following a 3-2 overtime victory over the San Jose Sharks on Tuesday, Buffalo now has a 17-6-2 record, good for 36 points – one ahead of the Tampa Bay Lightning and the Nashville Predators for the league lead.
Sabres Pulling Out Wins Late
While the Sabres were widely expected to improve this year, few could see such a dramatic turnaround coming. The current winning streak has seen the team come out on top in nine one-goal or shootout games, and while some may see that as unsustainable, the Buffalo players would rather look at that stat as a sign of resilience.
“When it’s a tight game, we feel confident,†defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen said after Tuesday’s win. “If we’re down we don’t panic.â€
The streak nearly came to an end in heartbreaking fashion on Tuesday. Up 2-0 with less than nine minutes left to go in the game, Buffalo let in two late goals before managing to salvage the win in overtime.
“Sometimes, that’s the way the game goes,†Buffalo coach Phil Housley told the Buffalo News after the game. “But the guys dug in. It just seems we’re really comfortable going into overtime. We’ve had some good results and I thought we attacked it in overtime.â€
No Shortage of Contributors for Buffalo
The Sabres have gotten contributions from throughout their lineup, including from first-year defenseman Rasmus Dahlin, who leads all NHL rookies with 11 assists after being selected with the No. 1 draft pick in last year’s draft. 22-year-old center Jack Eichel leads the team with 28 points, while winger Jeff Skinner has already poured in 19 goals, tying him for the league lead.
“When you win nine in a row, there’s a lot of games and a lot of hockey in there that isn’t picture perfect but you’re getting great saves or getting a guy like Jeff Skinner scoring every night,†San Jose Sharks coach Peter DeBoer said before Tuesday’s game. “Your special teams are really good. You have to win a bunch of different ways and I think they’re doing that.â€
Buffalo may come back to Earth, but the hot start puts the team in excellent position to make a playoff run, while the roster’s young core should keep the Sabres in contention for years to come. That would be a remarkable turnaround before for a team that hasn’t made the playoffs since the 2010-11 season.
And while they may not be the favorites to win a championship this year, oddsmakers aren’t dismissing Buffalo’s chances, either. William Hill lists the Sabres as a 20/1 pick to win the Stanley Cup this season, putting them far behind top contenders like the Toronto Maple Leafs (5/1) and Tampa Bay (11/2), but still solidly among the group of teams that could make a deep playoff run.