COMMENTARY
Sullivan: Sabres left behind in trying to step up
Lindy Ruff didn't bother addressing his team after this one. The Sabres were outplayed, outworked and outclassed in Friday night's 5-2 loss to the Flyers. Ruff let them talk it out among themselves. Evidently, Mike Grier did most of the talking.
"It's a little disappointing," Grier said. "Good thing we have a game [tonight] to bounce back. I told the guys we've got a good record and everyone knows it. The league is going to watch how we do in these games. Teams are going to try to push us out of games. We've got to show we won't back down."
Translation: When you're on top, expect to get teams' best shot. If you're going to pose as a legitimate Stanley Cup contender, you ought to act like one when the real teams come to town.
There was a buzz in the air at HSBC Arena, a sense that a meaningful early-season test was at hand. The schedule was turning. After fattening up on weak opposition, the Sabres were entering a busy stretch against some of the NHL's legitimate contenders.
The fact that the Flyers were in town heightened the sense of anticipation. The names might change, but the sight of orange and black inspires a healthy hostility in any Sabres fan who knows his history. Flyers games tend to be measuring sticks early in a season.
So I was waiting for a powerful statement against the Flyers, who went 4-0 against the Sabres last season. Instead, they responded with a whimper. They turned in the sort of shabby, uninspired performance that defined them in their two non-playoff seasons — the "Mulligan Years," if you will.
They were sloppy in their own end. They didn't establish a physical presence along the boards. Their top two lines were invisible. And Ryan Miller, who came into the came with the best save percentage in the NHL, had his worst game of the season.
"If I'm being honest, our schedule has been pretty favorable," Grier said, "and now it's getting tougher. So we've got to respond better. We got to have a better group effort. As a whole, we need to make sure we're there for each other every night, battling."
Grier is an unquestioned leader in his first year back in Buffalo, an accountable presence on the ice and a credible voice off it. He seems to be saying that a young team got ahead of itself after jumping out to a big start against weak opposition.
This loss should be a slap to the face, a reminder that they're riding two straight years without playoffs. After last season, management said the team lacked a certain competitive edge. It has addressed it, but there are still too many guys on this roster who want it to come easy.
They can't expect Miller to bail them out every night. He gave up a goal late in the first period. He was beaten by Chris Pronger in the first minute of the second. Then, after the Sabres cut the margin to 2-1, Miller let a seemingly harmless shot by James Van Riemsdyk go in off his pad.
Early in the third, Miller gave up another soft one, to Darroll Powe. The Pronger-Powe double might have been the worst two goals Miller has given up all year.
At least it should make it easier for Ruff to give Jhonas Enroth his first NHL start tonight at Boston, a team desperate for any sort of offense. If the Sabres are this shabby in front of the kid, it'll be a forgettable debut.
The Flyers lead the NHL in scoring, and they looked the part despite the absence of Daniel Briere and Simon Gagne. Their secondary scorers looked more dangerous than the Sabres' top two lines, who generated very little at even strength. It was one of those nights when you wonder if they have a true No. 1 line.
So while the start has been promising, I'm not on board with this Sabres team yet. The bandwagon has been picking up passengers for the past month. But I'll sit on the front porch and wave it on through for the time being.
Log into MyBuffalo to post a comment
MyBuffalo is the new social network from Buffalo.com. Your MyBuffalo account lets you comment on and rate stories at buffalonews.com. You can also head over to mybuffalo.com to share your blog posts, stories, photos, and videos with the community. Join now or learn more.
Reader comments
Learn more about our moderation system.