In 2016-17, Buffalo Sabres were the best power play team in the NHL. The Sabres finished the season with a sterling 24.5% power play success rate. They scored 77 total power play goals in 233 PP opportunities, 35 at home and 22 on the road.
In 82 games played, the 2016-17 Sabres power play units allowed only four shorthanded goals against.
For as bad as Dan Bylsma’s 5v5 system was for the young Sabres to execute to success, the man advantage was the saving grace. It was the ointment that healed all wounds.
Last season, there were three absolute truths: death, taxes and the Buffalo Sabres power play.
After locker clean out day in April, Bylsma and Tim Murray were shown the Zamboni door. Jason Botterill was hired to steady the ship. Botterill hired offensively minded Phil Housley to maximize the many assets that Murray had accumulated during his tenure with the Sabres. Housley’s mission that he has chosen is to deliver the Sabres to the playoffs for the first time since 2011. Housley’s template for success: tighten up the D to thwart shot attempts. Less shots directed at Sabres goalies would lead to less shots on goal. Houlsey’s defensemen are tasked with having to jump into the rush and support the forwards in the attack.
As advertised, the NHL officials and fun police have been whistle happy during the first week of the regular season. They are calling all faceoff interference, taps, slashes, trips, obstruction and delays of game.
More penalties equals more power play opportunities equals more scoring chances equals more goals.
It’s a small sample size, but in the first two games of this season, Housley’s players are having a tough time preserving the integrity and duplicating the success of the 2016-17 power play while increasing the even strength goal scoring.
It’s not a time to panic. It’s a learning process.
The Sabres have ten new players in their lineup thus season. There are new assistant coaches. Housley is still getting settled.
The Sabres are 1 for 9 (11.1%) on the man advantage which ranks them 23rd in the NHL heading into Sunday’s action. Slow starts happen to teams. I don't chalk up the Sabres' struggles to rust. I see several super-talented performers who are being too cute with the puck. Rather than make clean, fast zone entries and firing fast shots from all angles on enemy tendies, the Sabres are holding pucks for too long while looking for seams and passing lanes that just aren't there. While they are decelerating their attack while looking for the perfect play, it is allowing opposing PKers time to collapse and converge on the puck carrier. This creates opportunity for the opponent to stay in their lane, jump the pass route, then strip and go. Giving up three pick sixes in their first two games is certainly not something Housley has been game preaching in his practice sessions.
Look at the star power that Buffalo has on it's PP units: Jack Eichel, Rasmus Ristolainen, Evander Kane, Samson Reinhart, Ryan O'Reilly, Kyle Okposo, Jason Pominville, Matt Moulson, Viktor Antipin, and Nathan Beaulieu.
The Sabres have more fire power on their PP this season. So where are the PPGs?
As a collective, the Sabres have done a great job of denying 5v5 scoring chances which has reduced the goals against. In two games, the Sabres have allowed 80 shot attempts while earning 72 SA of their own. Their -8 even strength shot attempt differential ranks them 11th out of 16 Eastern Conference teams.
They cannot cash their chances at 5v5.
Housley is scratching his head while trying to figure out why his team has scored only two even strength goals this season. Evander Kane scored two shorthanded goals in Brooklyn on Saturday night. Kane scored both his shorthanded goals through the relentless pursuit of the puck. Kane is the 1st Sabre player to score 2 shorties in a game since Alexei Zhitnik in March 1998.
In seven periods of play, the Sabres have allowed 7 even strength goals against. They have also allowed an empty net goal. The Buffalo penalty kill is humming at a 100% kill rate. The power play needs help.
The power play units of the Sabres have been brutal thus far. Both PP units are guilty of sloppy zone entries. Both units are over-passing the puck around the umbrella.
Housley’s Achilles heel has been the three shorthanded goals that have been scored against the Sabres in their first two games. Not one. Not two. But three SHG's in the first two games of the season. How can it be that Bylsma's Sabres allowed only 4 SHG in 82 games played last season?
It appears to my eyes that the Canadiens and Islanders watched the scouting video of Buffalo's power play from last season. The Habs and Isles were ultra aggressive when defending the puck carrier on and after zone entries. Sabres PP personnel are routinely being denied time and space. Turnovers are being turned into scoring chances against the Sabres.
On Saturday night, Robin Lehner was victimized twice by the Islanders and once in the season opener against Montreal. The Buffalo power play units turned over pucks that were deposited behind Lehner. The object of Housley's system is to play fast, north hockey. They have be been playing south hockey while chasing down forced errors and turnovers.
This Danault shorthanded goal should have never happened
Tavares made the Sabres pay with this gaffe.
Cizikas added insult to injury with this SHG.
Don't look now, Sabres fans. Here come Will Butcher and the New Jersey Devils. The 2017 Hobey Baker winner made his NHL debut in fine fashion on Saturday. Butcher had three power play assists in New Jersey's 4-1 win over the Colorado Avalanche. The Devils PK hasn't allowed a PP goal against yet this season. Oh, by the way. The Devils scored a shorthanded goal of their own against the Avs on Saturday.
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