The Buffalo Sabres are off to a horrid start in 2014-15 and fans are already questioning whether the team will be able to improve on their ugly 21-51-10 record from last season. So far, the Sabres have barely looked competitive and have lost 3-1, 6-2 and 5-1. The team’s most recent defeat to Anaheim led to coach Ted Nolan commenting on the state of his club.
"That was like an NHL team playing a pewee team." Sabres coach Ted Nolan on 5-1 loss to Ducks.
— John Vogl (@BuffaloVogl) October 13, 2014
That may be an insult to peewee teams considering the Sabres mustered just 12 shots compared to Anaheim’s 44. Nolan commented on that aspect of the game as well:
Ted Nolan on Sabres having 12 shots: "You just try to shoot the puck down the ice 15 times, you might hit the net 10 times. It was bad."
— John Vogl (@BuffaloVogl) October 13, 2014
A team may be able to post 12 shots accidentally by just shooting the puck into the opponent’s end. In fact, that many shots are routinely registered in a period. The Sabres’ abysmal start to the year can be perfectly summed up by their performance against the Ducks.
Sabres goalie Michal Neuvirth: "We’ve all got to be 100 percent better."
— John Vogl (@BuffaloVogl) October 13, 2014
Maybe more than 100% better, if possible.
The irony here is that several Buffalo players stated prior to the season – with much confidence – that the Sabres would be a playoff team in 2014-15. Most of us laughed, but it seemed like the Sabres would improve this season. That may still happen as we’re still early in the season, but for now the Sabres look like a team still trying to find its rock bottom.
