Sabres Long Homestand Ends With Another Loss

The Buffalo Sabres 7-game home stand ended just the way it began; with an embarrassing loss against a team it should have beaten.  After three straight games of solid defensive play the Sabres let the New York Rangers run wild and it cost them in a 6-2 loss.

Sabres coach Phil Housley said in his post game press conference something that's been obvious for a while.  Housley said his team is soft and they don't play hard enough.  Soft is the perfect term because other teams don't have any respect for the Sabres.  They don't deserve it.  And for the Sabres the term home ice advantage just doesn't exist.  They don't make it hard on other teams to play at KeyBank Center.

The only guy who has a consistent ability to find the net is Jeff Skinner.  He scored both Buffalo goals to raise his total to 36 for the season.  Anybody else willing to step up and chip in a few?  The Sabres had their chances; Jason Pominville twice, Tage Thompson twice, Rasmus Dahlin hit a post, Zemgus Girgensons had a breakaway and didn't even get off a shot.

The Sabres were trailing 3-2 and were buzzing around the Rangers net, but they just couldn't find a way to tie it.  Then it was the Rangers turn to buzz around the Buffalo net and they scored to make it 4-2.  Eight seconds later it was 5-2 when Linus Ullmark misplayed the puck and it was an easy tap in to clinch it for the Rangers.

Once again the Sabres failed to string back to back wins together.  It's been more than two months now since the Sabres were able to win two games in a row.

The Sabres end the homestand 3-3-1 for 7 of a possible 14 points.  Just not good enough.  Not even close to good enough.

The Sabres play the Devils in New Jersey on Sunday night.