Home cooking wasn't the answer. Perhaps team dinners at swanky California restaurants with the boys will cure all that ails the Buffalo Sabres.
Phil Housley's team has been idle since losing 6-2 on home ice to the New Jersey Devils on Monday afternoon. The loss to the Devils dropped the Sabres record to a less than ideal 0-1-1. Last Thursday, the Montreal Canadiens won a shootout decision over the Sabres. The NY Islanders handled the Sabres on the road on Saturday night. Then, the Devils spoiled the Kids Day festivities on Monday.
The Sabres have allowed an alarming 15 goals against in their first three games. Included in that number is an NHL-worst 4 shorthanded goals against. The Sabres pop gun offense has only managed to score 7 goals in it's first three games. Kane leads the Sabres with eight hits in three games played.
Phil Housley's D have been sloppy with the puck while the forwards have had their struggles, too.
The goaltending has been iffy at times.
Add it all up and the Sabres haven't played well enough to win.
Their lone standout performer has been Evander Kane, who leads the team with four goals and two assists. Kane has potted two shorthanded goals of his own, plus a power play marker. After scoring 25 goals at even strength in 2016-17, Kane has only scored one goal at even strength in the first three games.
They don't ask how. They ask how many.
Kane's 2 SHG have him in first place among all NHLers in that statistical category. Kane's 26 shots on goal are also good for first place in the NHL. His 4 goals have him tied for fifth place while his six points have Kane tied for sixth place.
Kane should be extra motivated in San Jose tonight as it will mark his career milestone 500th NHL game. In 499 career games during his nine year NHL career, Kane, 26, has scored 161 goals and 145 assists for 306 points. Kane has racked up 591 PIMs along the way.
Kane has never played in an NHL playoff game.
Kane has scored two goals in each of his last two games. With a multi-goal game tonight, Kane would become the first player to log three consecutive multi-goal games for the Sabres since Al Kotalik did so from January 4 to 10, 2003
The Vancouver native is poised to hit the UFA market on July 1, 2018.
The last time Kane was in a contract year, he sniped 30 goal and 27 assists in 74 games. If Kane can remain healthy and can continue to contribute at his current point a game pace for the rest of the season, he will be rewarded with a mega-contract in the 8-year, $56 million range.
Tonight is the first of two meetings between the Sabres and Sharks this season.
San Jose defeated Buffalo 4-1 in San Jose on March 14. The Sharks travel to Buffalo on Saturday, October 28.
The Sabres are 8-1-1 in their last 10 games vs. the Sharks; 6-3-1 on the road.
This is the 38th game all-time between Buffalo and San Jose; Buffalo has a 24-7-6 series record.
The Sabres are 7-6-5 on the road against the Sharks all-time.
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Speaking of milestones....
Kyle Okposo needs 3 more starts to reach 600 career games played Jordan Nolan needs 7 more games for 300 career games played Jason Pominville needs 3 assists to be tied for 8th place in franchise history (Hawerchuk) Matt Moulson needs 7 assists for 200 career assists Samson Reinhart needs 10 points for 100 career points
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Kyle Okposo did not take the game day skate in San Jose on Thursday. Phil Housley said that the veteran forward was sick and he stayed back at the team hotel.
In the event Okposo cannot play against the Sharks, here are the line combos:
Trios sans Okposo:
— SabresBuzz (@SabresBuzz) October 12, 2017
Zemgus-Eichel-Pominville
Kane-ROR-Moulson
Pouliot-Larsson-Reinhart
Nolan-Josefson-Griffith
On D, Viktor Antipin will sit and watching San Jose. Former Shark Josh Gorges will make his season debut after sitting out the first three games.
Duos sans Antipin:
— SabresBuzz (@SabresBuzz) October 12, 2017
Scandella-Risto
Beaulieu-Tennyson
McCabe-Gorges
Robin Lehner will get the start for Buffalo.