Buffalo Sabres Have Prime Chance To Improve – No Excuses After 1-3-0

The Buffalo Sabres have had four days since they last played – in a game where they got their first win of the season, beating the defending Stanley Cup-champion Florida Panthers 5-2.

The win eased the tension created by Buffalo losing its first three games of the season, but the pressure is still on them to show what they’re made of and take advantage of a relatively soft part of the schedule.

Indeed, with the Jeykll-and-Hyde Pittsburgh Penguins set to face Buffalo in Pittsburgh Wednesday night – and with the following two road games against the Columbus Blue Jackets and Chicago Blackhawks – the Sabres can’t afford to take their foot off the gas at the moment.

Buffalo needs to take advantage of these next games and get some power-play goals on the board – they’re 0-for-14 ahead of Wednesday night’s game and average more than two goals-for per game. They also need to capitalize on more of their many scoring chances – they have the fifth-highest scoring chances-for rate at 5-on-5, per naturalstattrick.com – and shut the door on more of the chances that get through the other way.

After the Hawks game, Buffalo’s schedule gets significantly harder, with showdowns against Detroit (twice), Dallas, Florida, the New York Islanders, Ottawa Senators and New York Rangers.

Easily, the Sabres could be in trouble once again – and if they are, how long can GM Kevyn Adams last in his role running the team? He’s been GM since 2020-21, and there are many examples of GMs who haven’t been afforded that much time to implement their game plan for success. There are numerous veteran GMs – Marc Bergevin, anyone? – who’d happily step into the Sabres’ GM job.

There’s no sugarcoating it: Buffalo can’t afford to stumble yet again and miss out on the post-season for the 14th consecutive season. Their fan base has heard it all, and no one can fault them for being jaded and bitter when red…