SABRES LEAVE TOWN WITH EIGHT LOSSES IN THE REARVIEW MIRROR
In the locker room, following a 3-2 loss to Detroit, the Buffalo Sabres’ mentality was very clearly that of a team ready to move on. The Sabres begin a three-game road trip this weekend as they hope to move on from their current eight straight losing streak.
Just two and a half weeks ago, the Sabres returned from a perfect California road trip, sweeping their way past the Kings, Ducks, and Sharks, firmly ahead of the pack in the Eastern Conference standings. At the time, there was immense excitement for the team to play seven of their next eight games at home, just as the holiday season in Buffalo began. There was genuine excitement in the air as fans looked forward to seeing the team in person for an extended period. Two weeks and eight losses later, you can’t fault the players for wanting to get back out of town, and away from the fans that have booed them off the ice for the last week.
I can’t imagine it’s at all comforting to get booed by your own fan base game after game. Just last season, there was a movement within the locker room to stop saluting the fans after home games. As much as it must be mentally exhausting to hear that as a player, it’s even more infuriating to the paying customers and die-hard supporters of this team to witness negative history time and time again. Just last week, the Sabres blew a 4-0 lead in regulation for the first time in forty years. With their loss on Wednesday, the Sabres were swept by the visitors during a five game homestand, the first time that has ever happened in their 54-year history.
At this point in the season, though, I agree with the mindset of the players. As the saying goes “Windshield, not rearview.” That phrase cannot be more applicable than it is right now for the Buffalo Sabres. While they squandered a handful of wins, and more importantly, points in the standings, they still hold their own destiny in their hands. Yes, it will take a few stretches of five or more consecutive wins to offset this slip, and they cannot afford any more long losing skids from here on out, but the season is far from over.
On Wednesday, Owen Power was benched after just four shifts in the first period until the intermission. In the second period, JJ Peterka was kept on the bench after just a couple shifts himself. Coach Ruff noted in the postgame presser that, “sitting guys for one or two shifts wasn’t enough.” At this point, fans have to hope that the tactics that Ruff has started to implement pays dividends, and soon.
Not only do the Sabres begin a string of games against tough competition, but they are the target of other general managers around the league trying to capitalize on Buffalo’s recent poor play. While some fans may want to see Sabres GM Kevyn Adams make a move, they should be careful what they ask for. The last handful of players Buffalo has traded away (Kyle Okposo, Sam Reinhart, Jack Eichel, Ryan O’Reilly) have each gone on to reach new highs and lift the Stanley Cup in a few years' time. Hockey insider Elliotte Friedman reported that “Buffalo is getting calls on Dylan Cozens” in his 32 Thoughts podcast/blog for Sportnet early this morning. Cozens has five more years remaining on his contract, worth just over 7 million dollars per year, which would be a steal for any Cup contender for a second line center. While changes may be necessary to jolt Buffalo into the playoffs, I agree with what Adams said a week ago, he cannot make a trade, especially of that magnitude, just for the sake of making a trade. If you’re going to move a player of Cozens’ caliber, the players you bring back should change the complexion of the Sabres and how they play each game.
This weekend, Buffalo travels to Washington, DC on Saturday night for a meeting with the Conference-leading Capitals. After the game, it’ll be a quick turnaround as the Sabres pack up and cross the border for the first of just three meetings with the Toronto Maple Leafs this season. Toronto, mind you, currently sits third in the East, and they’re only getting healthier.
Puck drop from the nation’s capital on Saturday night at 7PM.
IDENTITIES ARE PUT TO THE TEST AS BILLS FACE LIONS
In what could potentially be a Super Bowl preview, the Buffalo Bills take on the Detroit Lions on Sunday afternoon in the Motor City.
It is often said that a team takes on the identity and personality of its Head Coach. The Buffalo Bills, for better or worse, have been a reflection of Sean McDermott and his calculated, overprepared, “humble and hungry” persona since he came to town. The way the Bills seemingly stay calm under pressure and never lose hope through duress stems directly from what the team hears and has ingrained in them each day by the man in charge.
Similarly, the Detroit Lions are quite clearly a mirror image of their Head Coach Dan Campbell. He was mocked for his introductory press conference back in 2021, when he said, "...when you knock us down, we're going to get up, and on the way, we're going to bite a kneecap off." While we haven’t seen any patellas chewed by any players just yet, the Lions’ hard-nosed, grind your teeth, fight till the death mentality is clearly represented on the field each week. It’s that mindset that has Detroit atop the NFC with a 12-1 record this season.
This game, while it could be a preview of something much larger down the line, will be a battle of two identities: “Humble and Hungry” vs “Bite A Kneecap.” Both have proven successful, but for Buffalo to overcome the Lions on Sunday, they’ll have to show they can be just as tough, just as hard to play against as Detroit is.
Kickoff from Ford Field is set for 4:25 on Sunday, as the Bills play in the national window for the final time before the playoffs.
BANDITS ON THE ROAD IN OTTAWA TONIGHT
The Buffalo Bandits return to action tonight, looking to start the season with two wins as they take on the Black Bears in Ottawa.
This is the first time Buffalo travels to Ottawa, as the Black Bears relocated from New York this summer, changing their branding, which was formerly the ‘Riptide.’ Last week, the Black Bears opened their season with an 11-5 win over the Toronto Rock, using a fantastic start to lift them to victory. Ottawa took a five to nothing lead over Toronto, and did not concede a goal in the first half of play.
Buffalo, who defeated Rochester 15-6 to open the season, turned on the defense late, shutting down the Knighthawks in the fourth quarter to claim the win.
Faceoff in Canada’s capital is slated for tonight at 7:00, broadcast locally on CW23 and nationally on ESPN+.
CAITLIN CLARK NAMED TIME’S ATHLETE OF THE YEAR
Caitlin Clark was named TIME Magazine’s Athlete of the Year for 2024.
The accolades Clark has amassed this year are impressive alone, but what has made the 22-year-old that much more impactful in the sports world is her personability. From her run at the University of Iowa, there was hardly anyone cheering against Clark to break Pete Maravich’s all-time scoring record in the NCAA. Even further, her following grew nationally as the Hawkeyes made their run to the Final Four. As she moved on to the professional ranks, Clark alone was the reason for the WNBA having an over 200% increase in viewership and attendance this season. Tickets to see the Indiana Fever were almost as hard to get as Taylor Swift floor seats.
In her interview with TIME, Clark commented on her being left off the Team USA roster for the Summer Olympics. Her answer is just another example of how personable and likeable the phenom is. “I don’t want to be there because I’m somebody that can bring attention… I want to be there because they think I’m good enough. I don’t want to be some little person that is kind of dragged around for people to cheer about and only watch because I’m sitting on the bench. That whole narrative kind of upset me. Because that is not fair. It’s disrespectful to the people that were on the team, that had earned it and were really good. And it’s also disrespectful to myself.”
TIME’s selection process states that the Athlete of the Year is not chosen based on just statistics and accolades, but overall impact in the sports world. Because of Clark, women’s sports, specifically basketball, became a national conversation in 2024.
