Can the Buffalo Sabers finally win their game against the Bruins? – Hockey Writer – Buffalo Sabers

The Buffalo Sabers have now lost 12 straight games and have just two regular season wins in the past 40 days. Tonight they will have a chance to defeat their rival Boston Bruins.

Buffalo will travel to Boston for the second game of a back-to-back after losing 6-3 to the Toronto Maple Leafs last night. Nothing seems to go their way. While defensive struggles have been a major issue, the Sabers also had two goals disallowed in the loss.

RELATED: 3 takeaways from Sabers' 6-3 loss to Maple Leafs

Puck drop is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET at TD Garden. This is the first meeting of the season between the Sabers and Bruins. Last season, Boston won the season series 2-1-0. On November 14, 2023, the Bruins won the first game 5-2. On December 7, 2023, the Sabers won 3-1. Boston won the finals 4-1 on December 27, 2023. .

The Sabers are eager to turn their fortunes around and steal a win from the Bruins tonight.

Sabers vs. Bruins game preview

The Sabers enter Saturday's game with an 11-18-4 record (26 points) and are winless in their past 10 games (0-8-2). They currently sit at the bottom of the Eastern Conference and 31st in the NHL standings. If they lose in the regular season and the Nashville Predators win, they'll be at the bottom of the league by the end of the night. Facing the Bruins, the Sabers are determined to avoid that outcome but face a huge challenge.

The Bruins entered the game with a 17-13-4 record (38 points) and were 6-3-1 in their last 10 games. They hold the first wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference and are tied with the Tampa Bay Lightning for third in the Atlantic Division. Boston lost 3-2 in overtime to the Edmonton Oilers on Thursday night and will look to rebound against a struggling Buffalo team.

The Key to the Saber Game

Top line needs production

The Sabers' 12-game losing streak can be attributed to a variety of factors, with one of the key issues being the poor performance of their top forwards JJ Peterka, Tage Thompson and Alex Tuch. The trio's overall output has been subpar during the slide.

Although Peterka contributed a goal and an assist in last night's loss to the Maple Leafs, he has only scored seven points (two goals, five assists) during the win streak. Encouragingly, five of those (one goal and four assists) have come in the past three games, suggesting that the team's form may be picking up.

Thompson is the most stable of the three, scoring 7 consecutive points (5 goals, 2 assists). However, his contributions have been sporadic, scoring in six different games rather than in concentrated outbursts. As the team's top center, he needs more consistent scoring to help the Sabers get out of the slump, as he has not scored in the past two games.

Tachi, on the other hand, was struggling. With just four points (two goals, two assists) during the losing streak and just one point in the last seven games, his impact has been decidedly lacking. Despite a strong start to the season, with Tach scoring 25 points in 33 games, he has grown indifferent. His leadership both on and off the ice will be crucial if the Sabers hope to turn around their fortunes.

Sabres' goalkeeping needs to improve

It's easy to criticize the Sabers forward and defense, but what about the goaltender? While it's true that Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen and James Reimer were often left hanging by the skaters in front, the numbers don't lie: They've allowed five or more goals in six of their past 12 games, including the past seven five times. This situation simply cannot continue.

While both goalkeepers made some key saves, there were moments when they needed to do better. Take Nicholas Robertson's goal last night. It was a two-on-one rush, but the ball was weak and slid through UPL's five holes. Sure, you can blame the defense for allowing the odd man rush, but that doesn't excuse the saveable field goal.

If the Sabers hope to turn things around, their goaltending will have to step up as a unit. It's time to bring it all together.

Sabers must fight for each other

Last night, we saw Thompson take the gloves off with Maple Leafs defenseman Morgan Rielly in the first period of the Sabres' game. The team was often in disarray throughout the game – a level of grit and passion they need to show more often. The Sabers must come together as a unit and realize that the responsibility to break out of this slump rests squarely on their shoulders.

The frustration among the players was palpable and they weren't shy about expressing it. After Thursday's practice, when Sabers reporter John Varro asked if the solution was in their locker room, Dylan Cozens shared his thoughts candidly: “Absolutely. I believe in this group. I think We all believe in this group. We just have to get better. … We have a team that can win and the players that can do that, but we've been saying that for a while.

The team is entering the “dog days” of the season, and mental and physical recovery becomes crucial. They need to overcome the odds and play with pride. Sometimes, all it takes is one win to trigger a snowball effect, rebuild confidence, and chain wins together.

Can the Sabers finally end their 12-game losing streak to the Bruins tonight? The answer lies in their hands.