LIndy Ruff: Sabres' 40-game run is a product of daily work
The Sabres' 32 wins over the last 40 games are the most by any NHL team since Detroit won 33 of 40 during the 1995-96 season and tied for fourth all-time. The record of 35 wins was set by Boston in 1929-30.
The Buffalo Sabres notched a nugget of history with Thursday's 5-0 win over the San Jose Sharks, but coach Lindy Ruff said Friday his team's daily approach is what has keyed the most remarkable run the franchise has ever seen.
The Sabres are 32-6-2 in their last 40 games heading into Saturday afternoon's game against the Los Angeles Kings in Crypto.com Arena. It's the most wins in a 40-game stretch by any NHL team since the Detroit Red Wings won 33 of 40 during the 1995-96 season, and is tied for fourth all-time. The record of 35 wins was set by the Boston Bruins in 1929-30.
"I really believe in the group as a whole," Ruff said after practice here on Friday. "First of all, I think it's the way we're playing, the way we need to play, just staying with it and not trying to change too much.
"Understanding that you can have a bad period, you don't need to change a lot of things. We just have to emphasize things that will make us a better team for the next period. Moving on to the next game has been a big deal, too. Not getting too excited about the wins and saying, 'Let's go get one more game.' Regardless of who the star was in the previous game, we know that the guys are dressed that night, we need everybody."
Buffalo Sabres defenseman Mattias Samuelsson, left, and forward Zach Benson are all smiles after the final horn of Thursday's 5-0 win over the San Jose Sharks in SAP Center.
(AP Photo/Thien-An Truong)
Ruff wasn't pleased with the way Thursday's game started, but liked how the Sabres increased their offensive pressure and efficiency as the game went on.
"We've always had a pretty good answer to a period of play that we haven't liked, or haven't played quickly enough, or haven't managed the puck well enough," Ruff said.
The Sabres are 19-2-1 in their last 22 games on the road, and their 21-11-3 record away from KeyBank Center is tied for second in the NHL to Tampa Bay's 22-9-4 mark.
They have posted consecutive shutouts for just the third time in the last 10 years (also Jan. 15 and 18, 2024, and Jan. 23-25, 2018). And the team's shutout streak is up to 164 minutes, 7 seconds.
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen blanked Vegas on Tuesday, and Alex Lyon responded with his own shutout in San Jose, marking the first time the club has ever had consecutive shutouts on the road by two different goalies.
The club's last consecutive shutouts by different goalies were in the final two games of the 2005-06 season, when Ryan Miller blanked Toronto at home, and Martin Biron won the season finale with a shutout at Carolina.
Thompson on the board
Tage Thompson's third-period goal 40 seconds into the period Thursday snapped a five-game drought for the Sabres' top scorer, his second-longest of the season after a six-game dry spell in November. Skating through the right circle, Thompson fired a snapshot that dribbled through San Jose goalie Alex Nedeljkovic for his 35th goal of the season."There are opportunities every game, he missed a couple of good ones the game before and a couple of great power play opportunities that haven't gone in for him, too," Ruff said. "I thought the line actually, as the game went on, got a lot better. ... With Tommer, that shot can go in anytime. It's good to see it go through."
Ostlund
Noah Ostlund's 12th goal of the season opened the scoring in the second period, and it was some nifty stickwork as he took the rebound of a missed shot off the back boards and pumped it home off a severe angle."It was a lucky bounce and I was wide open," Ostlund said. "You just have to react quickly to where the puck was at and get it back toward the net."
"It was not an easy-looking play," Ruff said. "Just another point we made this morning (in the team's daily meeting). You get pucks to the net, and even if you miss the net short side, you've got an opportunity there."
A quick skate
The Sabres held an optional practice for about 25 minutes on Friday afternoon. Ruff made sure veterans who play big minutes, like Thompson, Alex Tuch, Jason Zucker, and Bowen Byram, stayed off the ice. The team has matinees the next two days at 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. Pacific time against the Kings and Anaheim Ducks.Said Ruff: "We won't have a (morning) skate for the next two days, just play two games. Kind of gave the guys that felt if they stayed off, they'd feel better, the opportunity to just get an off-ice workout."