tampa bay lightning

It took four tries, but the Buffalo Sabres finally found a way to beat the Tampa Bay Lightning. And it was a pretty impressive team effort. Jack Eichel and Cody Franson each had a goal and an assist while Chad Johnson stopped 30 of 31 shots in a 4-1 win.  Johnson made some spectacular saves in Buffalo's fourth win in the last five games.

After winning three in a row and six of their last seven, the Buffalo Sabres reverted to some of the ugliness they've been accustomed to playing and it cost them badly against the Tampa Bay Lightning on Thursday night.  The Sabres gave up three goals in the second period sandwiched between a goal in both the first and third periods and the Lightning cruised to a 5-0 win to avenge their loss in Buf

Four points out of the final playoff spot with five games left to play and some of the Sabres still believe they can make the playoffs.  That's what they say publicly anyway.  Their chances are miniscule, but if they had played most of the season like they did in back to back games over the weekend they'd likely be in the thick of it.

Further evidence the Sabres will come up short of a playoff spot this season was there for all to see Saturday night at First Niagara Center.  The Sabres floated thru two periods, put pressure on in the third, but came up short in a 2 to 1 loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning...

Thomas Vanek's hat trick led the Sabres to a 4-2 win over Tampa Bay while Jhonas Enroth stopped 23 shots.  Tim Connolly had the other Buffalo goal as the Sabres moved to within one point of clinching a playoff berth.  I was in the lockerroom after the game and joined other reporters with Thomas Vanek.

It's not even Christmas yet - a whole lot of games left to play, but it's looking more and more like the Sabres just don't have what it takes to get into the playoffs.  They have a whole lot of work to do to improve this team.  The guys they have are not good enough and it was very evident in a lost weekend in Florida...