The Buffalo Sabres have finished in last place three of the previous five seasons and haven’t made the playoffs in the last seven years. So far this season, they haven’t scored any even-strength goals. The Sabres scored two goals total in their first two games, both on the power play in their second game against the New York Rangers. The Rangers have lost all three of their games so far this season. Buffalo was shut out in their season opener 4-0 vs. Boston.
So this afternoon’s game seemed like one that Vegas could win on the road if they played their smart defensive game, combined with Fleury being strong in net and some of their offensive prowess from their top six forwards.
None of this happened.
In addition, Buffalo filled the net with four goals on just 17 shots on Fleury to beat Vegas 4-2 and send them to a 1-2 record. All of last season, Vegas never had a winning percentage below .500 and so far they have two times, losing their first and third games.
Last season, the VGK’s offensive output covered up for most of their defensive mistakes, and when you added in Fleury, it was a winning formula.
Today all of that was MIA. Fleury was once again hung out to dry with multiple defensive miscues. First, Jack Eichel was left alone in his office on the power play to tee up a one-timer against which Fleury’s only chance was if Eichel shot it wide or the puck just happened to hit part of Fleury’s goalie equipment. Eichel didn’t miss and Buffalo grabbed the lead they would never surrender.
On Buffalo’s second goal, also scored by Eichel, both Vegas defensemen overplayed the puck and left the front of the net wide open. Eichel, who’d absorbed a thunderous hit by William Carrier just outside the blue line, arrived late into the zone. Carrier became entangled with the linesman after the check and Eichel’s speed was just too much for Carrier to recover from. Eichel took a pass from Sam Reinhart in the corner with both Engelland and Theodore. Eichel made a move from right to left and deked around Fleury for an easy goal to make it 2-0 Buffalo.
Carrier did have a game-high nine hits, but this one was costly, as Eichel was able to leave Carrier and the linesman tangled up behind him.
The VGK’s Paul Stastny is noted for being responsible defensively, while also having offensive potential. Today, he committed two penalties in the first period. The first was well-deserved, but the second not only led to Buffalo’s first goal, but was questionable to boot, as it appeared Stastny was playing the loose puck along with a Buffalo player who didn’t seem to have a good grip on his stick. When the Buffalo player lost his stick, Stastny was assessed his second penalty of the period. This power play led to the first goal of the game.
The Vegas forwards didn’t seem engaged in their offense. Seven of Vegas’ first 11 shots were by their defensive players. The VGK’s power play, 0-6 in their first games, went 0-2 today. Last season, their power play got off to a similar slow start with just one power-play goal in their first 21 attempts. Buffalo was 1 for 2 for the game and is 3 for 6 for the season.
Buffalo got off only five shots on Fleury in the second period, but scored three goals on the first four shots of the period.
They scored two goals quickly after Erik Haula scored his first of the year to trim the Buffalo lead to just one goal. Buffalo scored two goals within 1:28 of each other and just 27 seconds after Haula’s score, suppressing any momentum Vegas could get off of the goal.
Vegas tried its best to make it a game in the third period, limiting Buffalo to two shots on Fleury, while they had 11 shots on the Sabres’ Carter Hutton, but it was too little too late.
Hutton was solid in the net, stopping 35 of the 37 shots he faced for a .946 save percentage, as compared to Fleury’s .765 save percentage.
My 3 Stars of the Game: Jack Eichel, Carter Hutton, Jonathan Marchessault
The VGK’s next game is Wednesday against the Stanley Cup champion Washington Capitals at 5 p.m. Pacific Time.
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