The Buffalo Sabres have played only 13 games this seen yet have already accumulated 62 man games to injuries.
In his first month behind an NHL bench as ice general, Phil Housley’s patience has been tested.
Big time!
Housley, a noted defenseman whisperer as an NHL player and coach, must be pulling out his eye lashes and eyebrows in anger right now. Housley’s Blue & Gold D corps has been ravaged by injuries to key rear guards this season.
Today, the list of casualties grew by one more defender. This time, his best defenseman has been chomped upon by the injury bug.
Rasmus Ristolainen will miss this evening’s rodeo in Dallas due to an “upper body… injury he suffered in Buffalo’s 5-4 win over the Arizona Desert Dogs On Thursday night.
The Ristolainen injury brings to 25 the number of man games the Sabres have lost to injury so far in it’s first soon to be 14 games played.
Here Housley’s up-to-the-minute M*A*S*H unit:
Zach Bogosian (lower body, October 5; injured reserve) – 13 games missed Josh Gorges (lower body, October 20; injured reserve) – 6 games missed Nathan Beaulieu (upper body, October 21; injured reserve) – 5 games missed Rasmus Ristolainen (upper body, November 4) - 1 game missed Evan Rodrigues (hand, October 5; injured reserve) – 13 games missed Jacob Josefson (lower body, October 17; injured reserve) – 7 games missed Justin Bailey (lower body, November 2) – 1 game missed
Replacing Ristolainen is an impossibility for Housley. Ristolainen plays against the other team's number one line at even strength. He also QBs a power play point and kills penalties.
Victor Antipin is in for Ristolainen on the top PP unit with Eichel, Reinhart, O'Reilly & Okposo. #Sabres
— Jourdon LaBarber (@JourdonLaBarber) November 4, 2017
"He's a day-to-day situation right now," Phil Housley said after the game day skate.
"Obviously, you lose a guy like that who logs a lot of minutes, plays in every situation, we're going to have to spread that around a little bit, rely on other guys. But other guys are getting opportunities. That's the way they've got to look at it."
Taylor Fedun will skate in Ristolainen's stead in Dallas.
All due respect to Fedun, he’s nowhere near the defender that Ristolainen is for the Sabres. Not even close.
Ken Hitchcock is the master player of head games. Bet on "Hitch" using his last line change at home tonight to exploit Housley’s patchwork quilt of a defense corps. Fedun will be terrorized for 60 minutes by Stars snipers Tyler Seguin, Jamie Benn, Jason Spezza and Alex Radulov.
It’s not known who Fedun will skate with tonight. Jake McCabe, Victor Antipin, Marco Scandella, Justin Falk and Matt Tennyson round out the Buffalo blue line.
Risto’s 27:09 TOI per game ropes in NHL #27KGrinder
— SabresBuzz (@SabresBuzz) November 4, 2017
Ristolainen is leading the NHL in TOI with 27:09 per game. The reason while Risto is still score less after 13 games is that he has not had a permanent left shot D partner in his hip. Ristolainen has been struggling to adapt to Housley’s aggressive five-man on the attack system. Although the Finn has been playing excellent hockey the past two weeks.
Ristolainen leads the Sabres with 38 hits and 15 blocked shots (3rd on Sabres).
Ristolainen has five assists and a -4 rating.
***
Sabres are 3-7-0 in their last 10 games vs. Stars.
— SabresBuzz (@SabresBuzz) November 4, 2017
Sabres are looking to end a 5-game road losing streak vs. Stars. Buffalo have not won in Dallas since a 5-4 shootout win on January 15, 2009
— SabresBuzz (@SabresBuzz) November 4, 2017
Eichel (4G,9A)and Kane (7G,6A)each have 13 points in 13 games this season, including a point each in both of the last two games
— SabresBuzz (@SabresBuzz) November 4, 2017
🔥Ryan O’Reilly has 10 points (4G,6) in his last 8 games and had ðŸŽðŸŽðŸŽin win over Yotes
— SabresBuzz (@SabresBuzz) November 4, 2017
ROR’s 198 draws won #1 NHL
— SabresBuzz (@SabresBuzz) November 4, 2017
His 324 draws taken #2 NHL
His 61.1% FO% # 4 NHL
3 PPG tied for 7th
Possession 90% of the law #UnsungHero pic.twitter.com/2AVS97wTu1
🔥Benoit Pouliot has 5 points (4G,1A) in his last 5 games had 🇠ðŸ‡ðŸŽvs. Yotes. Sabres are 4-0-0 when Pouliot scores a point this season
— SabresBuzz (@SabresBuzz) November 4, 2017
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The Sabres better have mouthpieces in tonight. Benn was snarly in The Peg. Big Buff slammed Radulov, Benn fought Byfuglien. That’s a leader!
This is a heavyweight fight. Jamie Benn vs. Dustin Byfuglien. pic.twitter.com/NIeQoIfcfK
— Brady Trettenero (@BradyTrett) November 3, 2017