Tonight the Sabres didn’t play too bad in a 3-2 loss on the road in Dallas, but they were eliminated from playoff contention for the 13th straight season to extend the misery for this pathetic franchise.
The Sabres got the first goal of the game, 4:09 into it as Henri Jokiharu’s one timer from the blue line deflected off Alex Tuch and into the back of the net to make it 1-0 Buffalo. Jason Robertson answered right back for Dallas though to tie it up with a beautiful tip from Roope Hintz past UPL with 13:45 left in the first. Just 44 seconds later they took the lead though with Mason Marchment tipping it a long range screened shot from the point to go up 2-1 on a play that really looked like it was a high stick. After review on a really close play, the Sabres caught a break and it was determined to not be a goal. A few minutes after that with 10:22 left in the first, Rasmus Dahlin picked up his 20th goal of the season, the first time a defenseman has scored 20 goals for Buffalo since 1990, on a shot that snuck past Oettinger’s five hole to put the Sabres up 2-1 instead. Not a terrible period for Buffalo. The Stars outshot us 7-5, but we capitalized twice on those limited chances and UPL was solid to keep it that way.
The Stars tied up the game at 2-2, 3:38 into the second period, with Wyatt Johnson getting the puck from the skates of Dahlin right in front of the net and putting the backhand pass UPL on a really nice goal after a weird defensive play. Dallas took the lead back, with Joe Pavelski getting a beautiful tip on a pass from Tanev, putting the puck off the post and in on really a sick goal, 7:08 into the third. With 2:53 left in the second, the Sabres thought they tied it up on a Dahlin shot, but after a coaches challenge for a missed stoppage on the high stick, it was determined to be no goal, so both teams lost a goal to a high stick on review tonight. Not all that great of a period for the Sabres, but it wasn’t horrible.
Without any goals scored for either team in the third period, the Sabres are now officially eliminated from the playoffs for the 13th straight season.
FINAL: Sabres 2, Stars 3
Tonight I didn’t think we played awful, losing by a goal to the best team in the West on the road. We got outshot 25-21, outchanced 25-19, and couldn’t get the offense going, same story all season.
Officially eliminated from the playoffs for the 13th straight year. How fucking pathetic. This franchise is such a complete joke. Last year we were so fucking close to making the playoffs as a fun, young, team that was one of the highest scoring in the league. This year we took a complete step backwards, completely tanking offensively despite improving on the defense issues of last year and solidifying the goaltending instead of a ridiculous three goalie rotation.
It’s sad, depressing, pathetic, all at the same time. Fire Granato. Fire Adams. Move on and let’s go through this whole ordeal again. It’s fucking ridiculous. This is my favorite team and year after year I just get to watch them fucking lose and miss the playoffs. 13 years. I was a senior in high school the last time we made the playoffs, and even sadder, I was in middle school the last time we won a fucking series. The best memories of watching sports I’ve ever had in my life came almost two decades ago. Its so god damn sad.
I don’t see us improving again next year to find a way to make playoffs, so that drought like makes it 14 years.
Let’s Go Buffalo.
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