Factor Friction (sabres)

Ryan O'Reilly is feeling the pressure. He's doing everything he can to kill his team's abominable goal scoring slump. He has scored just one goal in his last twelve games.

O'Reilly has scored 4 goals and 5 assists in 15 games played. He missed six games with an oblique muscle. He retuned for the Detroit game on Wednesday night and skated 22:48 TOI with 5 shots on goal. He played 23:53 on Friday night in Washington and landed five more shots on goal.

To my eye, it looks like the 25 year old eight year veteran did some scouting of his own team's offense when he say out six games earlier this month while he nursed his ailing abdominal injury. The game looks a lot slower and more clear when you are watching uyour teammates play while seated in the owner's suite for two weeks.

Being injured is a blessing and a curse. You see the good things your team is doing. You also see the bad things like missing open nets, allowing rebounds to be recovered, hitting crossbars and goal posts, and not finishing every scoring chance presented by the opponent.

On Friday night, a frustrated and preoccupied O'Reilly did his job and was caught trying do do someone else's. He played with fire and got burned on Johansen's game winning goal.

"The chances were there. I had a few. We've got to shoot the puck better. It's as simple as that. We're moving it well. We're supporting each other. We're getting those good looks but, it's beating the goalie. That's all it is. It starts with myself. I've got to do that".

"It' frustrating. It's scoring goals and again it's the problem. That's my job and I'm not doing it right now".

On more than one occassion in the 3-1 loss to Washington, O'Reilly got busted trying to cheat to create offense. He found himself on the wrong side of the puck. As the result of a gliding back check. He's frustrated with himself because he is one of the most disciplined defensive players in the NHL. He is an intelligent two hundred foot player who thinks defense first. O'Reilly admitted after the loss to the Capitals that he was guilty of thinking more about offense than he was about defense. His teammates can't buy more than one goal a game these days so ROR rolled the bones, gambled and got burned when a shot kissed off the skate of Josh Gorges and ffound teh stick blade of Marcus Johanssen all alone in the slot. O'Reilly was nowhere to be found when his man scored the insurance goal to make it 2-0 Capitals.

The Sabres have played 13 games in the month of November. They have been competitive in all thirten. However, the Sabres' BB Gun offense has only scored 19 goals in 13 games. The Buffalo offense has fgenerated two goals or lessin 12 of the 13 games in November.

When you factor in October and November, Buffalo has scored an NHL worst 38 goals for with 14 of them coming on the power play. What is wrong with the Buffalo offense that has scored an embarrassing 24 even strength goals in 21 game? O'Reilly is the leader of the pack of offensive players who are scoring an NHL worst 1.81 goals per game. Robin Lehner and Anders Nilsson are doing their job by allowing a combined 2.38 goals against per game.

"It's frustrating becaue I think a lot of the guys on the team are playing so well. We're just not putting it in", O'Reilly lamented.

"It's tough to sit there and say "As a team we have to be better", when it's myself and scoring goals and giving us life early. We can't wait until he third period to score. We've got to produce at some point".

Thanks, Sabres.com

It's time for less talk and more action. It's way past overdue for the Savres to start burying their chances. Being nonchalant in times of crisis is not acceptable. O'Reilly is doing everythung he can and then some to turn the tidal wave of negativity. He needs help from Kyle Okposo, Matt Moulson, Zemgus Girgensons, Brian Gionta, Rasmus Ristolainen, Samson Reinhart, Marcus Foligno, Johan Larsson,Will Carrier, Derek Grant, Jake McCabe, Cody Franson and Josh Gorges.

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The Calgary Flames are suddenly one of the hottest teams in the NHL.

Funny what a Dougie Hamilton trade rumor will do to kick start the hearts of an under achieving NHL club.

The Flames have been playing in the East this week . They have earned six of the eight possible points by beating Detroit, Columbus and Boston. Their only blemish was Monday's 4-2 loss in Buffalo. They head to Philly and Brooklyn on Sunday and Monday to round out their six game roadie.

Hamilton has four assists in his past five games and now has two goals and eight assists in 23 games played.

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Wondering how to succeed at keeping Connor McDavid off the score sheet?

Do what Anthony Duclair does

Yo, Duclair. You and OEL can't stop McDavid. You can only hope to contain him.

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