Pominville, Roy off to slow starts
Sabres veterans have 3 goals combined
Let the record show that Jason Pominville has two goals and Derek Roy has one through 10 games this season, a fact that can be pushed aside as a slow start for two dependable veterans on a good team. Both are top forwards for the Buffalo Sabres, and history suggests they’ll turn things around.
No reason to sound the alarms for two players who have combined for 11 points after coming together for 59 goals and 161 points last season. They had ample opportunities to score, which is why red flags weren’t raised until blowout home losses to Ottawa and Tampa Bay in the past two games.
Now, the Sabres need them and a few others scoring sooner than later.
“It is frustrating, ” Pominville said. “It’s a long season. Just getting the opportunities, I know I’m doing something well. Eventually, I know that they will go in. If I wasn’t getting them, I would be worried. That’s when you try to do too much.”
The Sabres are looking to avoid their third consecutive home loss tonight when they play the Washington Capitals in HSBC Arena. Capitals winger Alexander Ovechkin is not expected to be back from Russia after visiting his ailing grandfather. Sabres center Tim Connolly is expected to make his season debut.
Ovechkin, the NHL’s reigning most valuable player and leading scorer, is among the many who was slow getting out of the gate. He led the league with 65 goals and 112 points last season but is on pace for 18 goals and 45 points. NHL rosters are sprinkled with star players who have had a difficult time locating the net early in the season.
Looking for Western New York connections? Chris Drury had no goals through 11 games and now has two. J. P. Dumont, who had five 20-goal seasons in his previous six, is on pace for 13 goals. Rochester native and former Niagara Scenics winger Brian Gionta, who averaged more than 31 goals the previous three seasons, is on pace for nine.
Young stars? Chicago’s Jonathan Toews, Pittsburgh’s Jordan Staal and Edmonton’s Sam Gagner had not scored, and Los Angeles’ Anze Kopitar had one going into Halloween night. Aging stars? Phoenix’s Olli Jokinen, Tampa Bay’s Martin St. Louis and San Jose’s Joe Thornton had one goal apiece. Carolina’s Sergei Samsonov had zero points.
“You have an unbelievable willingness for players to be in shot lanes,” Sabres coach Lindy Ruff said. “It’s tough to get shots through when you’re in a tight game, and most games have been pretty tight. The high-quality stuff is down.”
Scoring across the league has actually increased this season, going from 5.7 goals per game last season to 5.9 goals per game at the same point. Struggles for some could be simply getting off to slow starts. It could be coaches are devising ways to slow top players. It could be bad bounces.
Most likely: D) all of the above.
There are players every year who have problems scoring early in the season and pick up later. Thomas Vanek had a dreadful start last season but led the NHL this year with nine goals going into Friday night. Coaches have implemented defensive zone coverages that often call for all five skaters below the top of the circles.
“We see it every day,” Pominville said. “All five guys go into the slot and stop and leave you the outside. It’s tough to get into the slot and get those scoring chances. It’s tough. Players have adjusted, coaches have adjusted. They’re all smart people. They know what they’re doing.”
Pominville and Roy have taken turns missing good opportunities. Pominville missed open nets last week against Colorado and Ottawa in consecutive games. Roy has had numerous scoring chances but only one goal.
What to do? Ruff blew up his lines during an intense practice Thursday.
He took left wing Drew Stafford off a line with Roy and Vanek and replacing him with Ales Kotalik. Connolly was between Clarke MacArthur and Pominville. Paul Gaustad had Daniel Paille and Patrick Kaleta on his flank, and Stafford played alongside Adam Mair with Maxim Afinogenov, who also hasn’t scored, on the other side.
“Sometimes, when you shuffle the whole deck, players like it,” Ruff said. “They like the opportunity to play with somebody else. Sometimes, it drives up the intensity of the different lines.”
Pominville is fourth on the Sabres in scoring with two goals and four assists, but he’s often been matched up against top lines and killing penalties. Despite his lack of productivity, his plus-1 rating suggests he’s been responsible defensively.
Roy is even with a goal and five assists. The Sabres are looking for much more production from him given that he’s playing about 23z minutes a night, the most among forwards. He has failed to record a point and is minus- 3 in his past three games.
“I’ve had my fair amount of chances every single game,” Roy said. “It’s a matter of getting it going. I think I’m playing well and making some nice plays. [But] I need to start scoring to help this team out.”
