Sabres stray from assertive identity during loss to Sharks

With the Sabres trailing the San Jose Sharks by three goals as the clock dwindled below three minutes on Tuesday, coach Don Granato opted not to pull his goaltender for an extra attacker.
Only after Jeff Skinner scored with 1:48 remaining - the product of an aggressive forecheck and pressure at the net - did Granato call Craig Anderson to the bench for a 6-on-5 advantage.
"I told the guys after the game, we didn't play that way for 57 minutes so there was no way I was pulling the goalie until I saw some of that," Granato said.

Granato felt the Sabres deviated from their aggressive, hard-working identity during the 5-3 loss to the Sharks at SAP Center. It was another lesson for a young team navigating its first long road trip after opening the season with five of six games at home.

The Sabres are now 1-2-0 on the West Coast swing and have lost consecutive games in regulation for the first time this season. Granato felt the win was within reach against a shorthanded Sharks club that had seven players absent due to COVID-19 protocols.
Instead, it was the Sharks who rallied around their work ethic to earn a second straight win.
"We didn't play to our identity," Granato said. "So, a really big learning lesson because that was a very winnable game. We could have taken charge of a lot of situations that we were too passive in. We had a room of competitive guys that didn't compete hard enough and that should burn a little bit for a couple days here."
San Jose played to a 23-11 advantage in 5-on-5 scoring chances, according to Natural Stat Trick. The long offensive-zone possessions that were staples of Buffalo's start were absent, Granato said, because the team lacked its usual north-south, puck-hunting mentality.

"That's kind of what we have to solve here," Skinner said. "We have to get back to being more aggressive. We know what they're going through. They're going through a lot of adversity and a lot of guys were excited to get the opportunity and we knew they were going to come out hard. Unfortunately, we weren't able to match that."
Skinner put the Sabres on the board during the first period, burying a shot from the high slot with an extra attacker on the ice due to a delayed penalty. The goal knotted the score at 1-1 just 1:43 after Jonathan Dahlen had opened the scoring for the Sharks.
Ryan Merkley put the Sharks ahead for good at 12:49 of the first period, sending a shot from the point in off the skate of Anders Bjork for his first NHL goal. Tomas Hertl added a pair of goals for the Sharks while Mario Ferraro scored on a point shot during the third period.
Drake Caggiula scored the only non-Skinner goal for the Sabres, a cannon of a slap shot from the top of the left faceoff circle during the second period.
The Sabres can still earn a split of the four-game road trip when they visit the expansion Seattle Kraken for the first time in franchise history on Thursday. They will expect a more assertive approach.
"Nobody likes going through it, but it better makes us better," Granato said. "That's how we have to approach it."

Skinner's productive outing

Granato referenced Skinner as one player who was assertive Tuesday, and it showed on the stat sheet. In addition to his two goals, Skinner tallied a team-high six shots on nine attempts.

"He certainly was more aggressive tonight," Granato said. "He was adamant on the bench, he was one of the few guys that were really competitive through the whole game. I was looking to get him out there obviously as much as I could late."

Olofsson sits with injury

Victor Olofsson did not play after sustaining an injury during practice on Monday. He has not been ruled out for Thursday's game in Seattle.
"We held him out tonight in hopes that he's back to normal on Thursday potentially," Granato said. "But we'll actually have doctors look at him further tomorrow to give us a better read and we'll see. We still don't expect him out very long."
Olofsson leads the Sabres with five goals and nine points this season.

Up next

The road trip concludes with the Sabres' first-ever visit to Seattle to play the Kraken on Thursday. Coverage on MSG begins at 9:30 p.m. The puck drops at 10.