It’s funny how in just a matter of days, after a brief string of wins for the Sabres, observers switch from discussing the job security of Lindy Ruff to discussing the Sabres playoff prospects once again. The Sabres have 4 games remaining and are currently in 10th place in the Eastern Conference, 3 points behind Florida and New York (Rangers). I think a large majority of fans will be paying close attention to the scores of the upcoming Florida and New York games, seeing as those are the teams the Sabres need to pass to get into the playoffs.
But big picture wise, those scores don’t really matter. The Sabres biggest enemy is and has always been themselves. It’s been said before, but the Sabres have simply lost too many games against inferior opponents. Every point is crucial. In the end, there’s no excuse. Better teams than the Sabres have found ways to get the job done and collect easy points against rebuilding teams like for instance, the New York Islanders and the Atlanta Thrashers. The Sabres have managed just 2 wins through 8 total games against the Islanders and Thrashers who are in 15th and 13th place in the Eastern Conference, respectively.
What’s infuriating is the Sabres obvious potential. I’m comfortable saying that the Sabres have the ability to beat any team in the NHL on any given night. They’ve won big games all season long against great teams.
I’d like to also point out that the Sabres are 10 points out of 4th place in the Eastern Conference. That’s a difference of 5 wins separating the 4th place and 10th place teams. I don’t like to bring up “the bounces” excuse because every team experiences their share of good and bad luck over the course of the season, but the Sabres’ position in the Eastern Conference could be entirely different had a few bounces gone differently.