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Celebrating the win! (Francois Lacasse / Getty) #BUFvsMTL pic.twitter.com/6G8ThrbFyM
— Buffalo Sabres (@BuffaloSabres) February 4, 2015
The Buffalo Sabres players wanted no part of taking ownership of the longest losing streak in NHL history. Once you get associated with THAT kind of failure, you are branded for life.
No worries. For one night in snowy Montreal, the Sabres dug down deep, summoned their pride and fought their back to respectability.
The Montreal Canadiens took the struggling Buffalo Sabres lightly. They paid dearly for under estimating Josh Gorges, Brian Gionta and the Sabres.
The wicked witch is dead. For now at least. Seemingly, there will be more tough days ahead once GM Tim Murray starts trading away his pending UFAs. Estimated time of arrival for the exodus is later this week.
For now, the franchise worst 14 game losing streak is in the graveyard.
Jhonas Enroth faced a barrage of rubber in the third period to seal Buffalo’s first win in six weeks. Enroth made 32 saves for Buffalo (15-33-3), which won for the first time since December 27 shootout win over the NY Islanders. The Sabres' losing streak ended one game shy of the third-longest in NHL history set by the Philadelphia Quakers from November 29, 1930 to January 8, 1931.
The NHL record for consecutive losses (17) was set by the expansion 1974-75 Washington Capitals and matched by the second-year San Jose Sharks in 1992-93. Esteemed alumnus from those teams can breathe a sigh of relief as the Sabres will not be breaking their record for futility.
How did the Sabres exorcise their demons?
They went to the next early and often. They were rewarded for getting filthy and driving to the hard areas in front of Carey Price's net. Price had allowed more than two goals once in his previous 16 starts, going 13-2-1 with a 1.43 GAA and .953 save percentage over that span.
Drew Stafford got the visitors on the board early in the first period. The Sabres have scored first in the past six games. The Sabres are now 1-5 in those games.
If it were up to me, Brandon Prust would be having a hearing with the Department of Player Safety on Wednesday for this blindside, neck shot on Tyler Myers. Prust exited the box, buried Myers from behind and eventually scored to tie the game at ones. Prust was not penalized for his blatant back stab on Myers.
Matt Moulson scored his first goal in seventeen games to give Buffalo the lead.
Brian Gionta scored the eventual game winning goal to move Buffalo to a 3-1 lead at the first period intermission.
The Canadiens pushed back in period two. The Sabres held onto their two goal lead until David Desharnais scored early in the third period.
Enroth battled, scrapped and did everything in his power to prevent pucks from entering his net in the final fifteen minutes of the their period.
The Sabres now return home for a five game home stand against St. Louis, Dallas, NY Islanders, Nashville and Philadelphia.
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McEichel Standings Updated:
The Edmonton Oilers defeated the San Jose Sharks on Monday night to give the Sabres a six game cushion on 30th pace. The Buffalo win in Montreal now gives the Sabres a four game lead on the 29th place Oilers (33 points to 37 points).
The Carolina Hurricanes picked up a loser point in Anaheim on Tuesday night and remain in 28th place with 41 points.
The 27th place Arizona Desert Dogs beat Columbus on Tuesday night and now have 44 points.
Columbus has 45 points and Toronto 45 points.
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What do Drew Stafford, Chris Stewart, Torrey Mitchell, Michael Neuvirth, Jhonas Enroth, Tyson Strachan, Andrej Meszaros, and Andre Benoit.
Every last one of the Buffalo Sabres players is a pending unrestricted free agent. Matt Ellis is too valuable a leader for the Sabres to trade away. He's UFA in July and will be re-signed. The others are fair game.
On Tuesday afternoon in Montreal, Ted Nolan shared with the assembled media herd the message that he has shared with each and every one of his players who are eligible to be traded on or before the March 2 NHL trade deadline:
"Make it happen".
Nolan wants his players to show the NHL scouts on press row that they are worthy of a trade. Nolan is all about showing and not telling. His message is succinct and simple:
Your future is in your own hands, not in the hands of the Buffalo Sabres.
Nolan’s words also apply to Tyler Myers, Cody Hodgson, and other Sabres veteran players. Right now, the only Buffalo player that is considered “untouchable… is center Zemgus Girgensons. Everyone else is up for grabs. Tim Murray’s Sabres have won only 19 games in the past 132 games. Therefore, it’s open season on every player on his roster. Nolan has been preaching to his troops that extraordinary, heroic on-ice efforts will create the necessary amount of demand in the minds of opposing GMs. What NHL GM wants to make a trade for a struggling Buffalo forward or D that has been immersed in a losing culture for the past two seasons? NHL GMs and scouts don’t give a crap about what players did 3 or 4 seasons ago. They want to know how a particular player performed last night and last week. The NHL is a what-have-you-done-for-me-lately world.
For example, Chris Stewart has heeded his head coach’s advice and it’s paying off for him. He has scored four goals in the past week including 2 PPGs in Vancouver on Friday night. Stewart has been Nolan’s most consistent and noteworthy forward in recent games. Stewart continues to be scouted by Boston, Ottawa, Minnesota, NY Islanders, Calgary, and Tampa.
Nolan to his troops:
"Maybe somebody will see you and want you." Thanks, Sabres.com