Do the Buffalo Sabres make the playoffs?

[LEAFANFORLIFE23]

Buffalo wins a bunch of consecutive close games. HF says it's only because they got lucky.
Buffalo starts dropping a bunch of equally close games. HF declares the team bad.

Hmmm.

Reality is the team is competitive just about every night. We've had some lucky stretches and some unlucky stretches, and the Sabres are a young team with a flawed roster bound to be a bit streaky. They're probably fighting for a wildcard spot right up until the end of the season.

I mean they won 7 of those games in OT so yes, they did get lucky OT is based on luck

 

[tsujimoto74]

I mean they won 7 of those games in OT so yes, they did get lucky OT is based on luck

Missing the point. You can't ascribe close wins to good luck and then completely dismiss the idea that close losses are due to bad luck.

 

[CantLoseWithMatthews]

Missing the point. You can't ascribe close wins to good luck and then completely dismiss the idea that close losses are due to bad luck.

why? Buffalo is the 6th worst team in xgf%. they don't play their opponents equally, so it makes sense for them to lose more than they win

 

[Dache]

Exactly. I remember some of us saying all of this back when they were bragging about their big win streak and we were met with boisterous laughter. Not so funny now, is it?

The Sabres are not a good team. One little 10 game winning streak doesn't change that. They have no depth and no good Goalies. And now, they are falling back down to earth, as predicted.

They will miss the playoffs.

“Little 10 game win streak” interesting choice of words

 

[tsujimoto74]

why? Buffalo is the 6th worst team in xgf%. they don't play their opponents equally, so it makes sense for them to lose more than they win

I think the fact that the Canes are #1 in the league in expected goal differential while they're just limping into the wildcard race tells you all you need to know about how helpful those stats are as stand-alones (i.e., not very).

 

[CantLoseWithMatthews]

I think the fact that the Canes are #1 in the league in expected goal differential while they're just limping into the wildcard race tells you all you need to know about how helpful those stats are as stand-alones (i.e., not very).

there are exceptions of course, but are the Sabres really one of them? the only worse teams are Chicago, Anaheim, Ottawa, Detroit, Vancouver. that seems like a pretty distinct group to me. given Buffalo's recent losing skid, maybe you should consider giving a little more credit to that metric. It did see it coming. Buffalo isn't a talented enough team that they can keep winning games despite getting outplayed heavily

 

[LEAFANFORLIFE23]

WOW do they look done

 

[Panthaz89]

WOW do they look done

I had to turn off the game for the first time this season.......Hutton couldn't make a save today while Koski stops a flurry Hutton can't stop Lucic garbage shots.

 

[tsujimoto74]

I had to turn off the game for the first time this season.......Hutton couldn't make a save today while Koski stops a flurry Hutton can't stop Lucic garbage shots.

A shooter tutor would've stopped more pucks tonight

 

[Regal]

Missing the point. You can't ascribe close wins to good luck and then completely dismiss the idea that close losses are due to bad luck.

Close losses in regulation are not as luck based as wins in OT and the shootout. Only one of the last 9 losses went to OT, whereas 7 of the 10 wins on the streak did

 

[LEAFANFORLIFE23]

Last night really swung the vote

 

[Royal Thunder]

Last night really swung the vote

Glad you have such a vested interest in this

 

[LEAFANFORLIFE23]

Glad you have such a vested interest in this

Well, I mean I did make the poll