3 Takeaways From Buffalo Sabres’ 4-3 Loss to Islanders – Hockey Writers – Buffalo Sabers

The roster looked a little different for the Buffalo Sabers as they took on the New York Islanders. In an effort to get a few players, the lines were shuffled a bit. When they lost 5-2 to the Florida Panthers, it was important for the Sabers to avoid a slump.

However, here we sit after a 4-3 loss to the Islanders, the Sabers second in a row. While the disappointment is obvious, there are a few important things to look out for. Let’s dive into it to see what we can learn from the Sabers’ latest loss.

Jason Zucker has been a great player

One side that clearly shined was the play of Jason Zucker. After last night’s game, Zucker is tied for second on the team in points and is five points behind the team lead with six assists. He brought more than expected to a Sabers team that is looking to improve significantly this season.

Related: Sabers are on the Cusp of Greatness with a minor overhaul

On Friday night, he delivered Gordie Howe’s hat trick – a goal, an assist, and a tackle. War, in particular, has brought a spark of energy to a team that seems to have trouble maintaining it this season. The fact that he also scored the first two goals of the season playing loose underlines his importance.

Perhaps most importantly, Zucker found a little life in the struggling Dylan Cozens. Cozens got on the board early in his season opener and the joy on his face was unmistakable. Hopefully, this is a mutually beneficial relationship moving forward.

About Rasmus Dahlin

Rasmus Dahlin isn’t having the type of season that gets the most attention. His first season as captain of the Sabers has gotten off to a slow start, although he is starting to see some coolness in his play. But for someone who should be contending for the Norris Trophy, it doesn’t feel like enough.

He has been dealing with injuries since the first session of training camp. He wasn’t clearly visible, he didn’t make any bad mistakes but he didn’t stand out in the way we expected from the young Swedish defender.

This is a long season and the fact that he is starting to rack up more assists is an encouraging sign. It would be nice to see him shine more on the power play, which would no doubt help pull that woeful team out of the deep end of the league.

Goaltending is inconsistent

This game may have been a microcosm of Buffalo’s scoring situation so far this season. Devon Levi wasn’t bad – in fact, he was so good that he pulled himself out of his spot with the Islanders’ fourth and final goal. He turned away 32 of 36 shots on the night, a good overall effort.

Coming into the season, many felt the Sabers had a career-high 15-goal combination. Yet here we sit in the middle of 11 games, with both goalkeepers holding inflated goals against averages and 900 save percentages. There is a glimmer of what we have come to expect from them, but the light is not enough.

The Sabers thought they were getting a quality matchup between Levi and Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen. Instead, it’s been a guessing game of when each player will find a groove and how long it will last. There is no doubt that UPL will be the next man up against the Detroit Red Wings and he needs to get his bearings.

Sabers Are Very Inconsistent

It will probably be said less this season, but this feels like the old Sabers in vague ways. They play with improved intensity compared to past seasons, but the effort doesn’t feel like it’s there every 60 minutes every night. There are flashes of dominance and long periods of frustration.

Delivering 60 minutes a night for 82 games is almost impossible. But what separates good teams from those like the Sabers is that the core looks beyond excuses to find solutions. They find that there is something extra that allows them to capture games they shouldn’t win. That’s what was missing from Saber and there’s no sign of it being found.