In their last two losses, Thursday at Calgary and Saturday at Edmonton, the Buffalo Sabres pulled their goaltender when trailing by one goal but were unable to tie the game.
So, Monday at LECOM Harborcenter, the Sabres spent a chunk of their ice time practicing 6-on-5 situations.
They’ve done so in recent weeks, primarily to condition the five-man defensive unit to handle late-game pressure. But these recent third-period outcomes have emphasized the need for offensive work at 6-on-5, as well. After practice, Sabres coach Lindy Ruff identified the areas needing improvement.
“More pucks at the net," he said. "I think we’re looking for the best play. Some of our 6-on-5 goals have been getting the puck around the front of the net with people there and outnumbering them.”
Jan. 20 in Seattle, for example, Dylan Cozens’ wide-angle shot led to a net-front scramble; Alex Tuch found the loose puck in the crease and scored, narrowing Buffalo’s deficit to 5-4.
“The biggest key has to be recovering pucks – when you shoot the puck, making sure we have enough guys there to recover it,” Cozens said. “And have bodies around the net to jam home a greasy one.”
The Sabres’ seven 6-on-5 goals scored this season rank third in the NHL, but so do their 15 6-on-5 goals allowed. On Saturday, Leon Draisaitl missed the net on what would have been No. 16.
“We raced in to get a puck, but three guys raced in on the same place, and you give up a 2-on-1 that should be in the empty net,” Ruff said.
Here’s more from Monday’s practice.
