Sabres notebook: Owner Terry Pegula speaks to struggling team in Montreal
An NHL source confirmed the meeting to The Buffalo News and a second source said Pegula is a notoriously stay-the-course owner.
The Buffalo Sabres gathered at Bell Centre on Monday and it was unusual that they planned to practice in a third city after a back to back in two other places.
But instead of taking the ice to prepare for Tuesday’s game here against the Montreal Canadiens, the Sabres canceled practice about a half-hour before it was scheduled to begin and had a keynote visitor to their locker room.
Owner Terry Pegula joined general manager Kevyn Adams in speaking to the embattled group, which saw its winless streak hit 10 games with Sunday’s 5-3 loss in Toronto against the Maple Leafs.
Bills and Sabres owner Terry Pegula attends the NFL game at Ford Field in Detroit on Sunday. Harry Scull Jr., Buffalo News
Pegula, of course, hit town from Detroit after watching the Bills’ 48-42 win over the Lions, but it wasn’t like he suddenly detoured to Quebec because his hockey team is, um, suffering.
Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported Monday on his “32 Thoughts” podcast that he heard whispers last week at the NHL board of governors meeting in Manalapan, Fla., that Pegula was going to do a check-in on the Sabres in Montreal.
Pegula, like most people in the hockey world, loves games in Montreal and it’s one road locale where he’s often been seen. The NHL holiday break combined with the Bills schedule probably would not give him many chances to meet with the club in the upcoming days.
An NHL source confirmed the meeting to The Buffalo News and a second source said Pegula is a notoriously stay-the-course owner.
Frank Seravalli of Daily Faceoff backed up that point when he reported later Monday that the summary of Pegula’s message was, “We believe in you. The solution is within this room.” Seravalli said the owner professed faith in the embattled Adams while telling players not to expect a big trade for now.
The NHL’s holiday roster freeze goes into effect at midnight Friday and lasts until Dec. 27, so that will end trading for all teams.
The Sabres must win Tuesday to snap their streak and avoid falling into last place in the Eastern Conference. They are one point ahead of Montreal, and if the Habs win in any manner, be it regulation or after it, they will be ahead of Buffalo by virtue of head-to-head tiebreakers.
Levi loaned after solid start
The Sabres loaned goalie Devon Levi to Rochester on Monday and defenseman Ryan Johnson was still in Toronto with the team after Sunday’s game despite being loaned to the Amerks. Obviously, that could be a paper move with Johnson returned to the Buffalo roster on Tuesday.Levi was outstanding in the loss to the Leafs, making 36 saves on 40 shots (the fifth Toronto goal was into an empty net). He was coming off a 7-1-1 stretch in Rochester and said the regular work there fueled his confidence and it carried over into his spot start.
“I came in here today and I wanted to play this game and be the one to help kind of change things,” Levi said. “Looking back, it’s tough because you feel like if you save maybe one more, that the game has a little bit different outcome. It’s just the reality of hockey. You have to come in and focus on your process. And that’s what I did. I felt good out there.”
“He made some big saves in some key moments,” said winger Alex Tuch. “We’ve got to be better for him.”
No save was bigger than one on Toronto’s John Tavares on a 2-on-1 break with seven seconds left in the second period. It kept the Sabres in range at 4-3 and Buffalo had a couple of good scoring chances in the second half of the third period to tie the score because of it.
“I’m just trying to give my team a chance at that point,” Levi said. “It’s a one-goal game. I have to make sure I’m sharp to try to keep the momentum on our side. So that’s kind of the mentality there.”
Strange series with Habs
The Sabres suffered a disappointing 7-5 loss to the Canadiens on Nov. 11 in KeyBank Center and that was par for the course in the series between these two teams.The Sabres are 0-3-2 vs. Montreal in their last five meetings in Buffalo – but are 5-2 in their last seven trips to Bell Centre. The Sabres won both meetings here last year, by scores of 6-1 and 3-2.