Sabres' Ruff says now's the time to end slump
The Buffalo Sabres have been burned for 18 goals in the past three games and are just 1-4-1 in their last six. Coach Lindy Ruff said today it's time for the slump to end with this weekend's back-to-back home games.
"The time is now," Ruff said after practice in HSBC Arena. "This is not just a couple little mishaps. This is a stretch of poor games that has been poor in a lot of areas. .‚.‚. In an 82-game season, you deal with all these highs and lows and there's never a team that doesn't go through them. Maybe this is our little segment but now is the time to come out of it."
The Sabres were blitzed for the final five goals in Wednesday's 7-4 loss at Boston and don't have much time to stew about their latest defensive meltdown. They host Philadelphia on Friday night at 7:30 and the New York Islanders on Saturday night at 7.
"At least it's not playoffs but your playoff hopes certainly hinge on games like these at the end of the season," said goaltender Ryan Miller. "So you try to stop the bleeding as quick as you can and try to get back at it. We have two games back to back here and we have to be a lot better."
Ex-Sabres co-captain Daniel Briere has been nursing a groin injury and hoped to be available Friday but has ruled himself out of the game.
