Cotsonika: The Sabres have failed to qualify for the Stanley Cup Playoffs for 11 straight seasons, the longest drought in the NHL. It doesn't have to be a dirty dozen. They can catch the Islanders for one of the two wild card spots into the playoffs from the Eastern Conference. Let's start with the math: The Islanders hold the first wild card in the East. They have 72 points in 65 games. The Sabres have 68 points in 62 games, so they're four points back with three games in hand. They also have two games left against the Islanders, on Tuesday and another March 25. Bottom line: It's up to them. If they take care of business, they'll finish ahead of the Islanders and appear in the playoffs for the first time since 2010-11, when Lindy Ruff was their coach, Thomas Vanek was their leading scorer and Barack Obama was early in his tenure as the President of the United States.
Roarke: Buffalo has been a great story. Rasmus Dahlin is a Norris Trophy candidate as best defenseman in the NHL. Forward Tage Thompson is among the most exciting players in the League; a true gamebreaker who should be in the MVP conversation. But the Sabres don't have a goalie as good as the Islanders' Ilya Sorokin, who should be a finalist for the Vezina Trophy. We are entering the part of the season where goaltending becomes a difference-maker. The wide-open play of January and February begins to recede as teams realize it's time to clamp down. New York knows how to do that because it has been playing that way all season, with little margin for error. Sorokin, who has a .926 save percentage, is third in the NHL behind Linus Ullmark of the Boston Bruins and Filip Gustavsson of the Minnesota Wild among goalies who have played at least 25 games. He is the ultimate security blanket for a team that plays all season a style that is idea for the playoffs.
Cotsonika: Shawn, are you making my argument for me? Exactly, Dahlin is a Norris Trophy candidate. He has 63 points (14 goals, 49 assists) in 58 games, third among NHL defensemen. Thompson is a Hart Trophy candidate. He has 83 points (42 goals, 41 assists) in 62 games, fifth in the NHL. You forgot to include Owen Power too; the defenseman is a candidate for the Calder Trophy, which goes to the NHL rookie of the year. He has 23 points (four goals, 19 assists) in 59 games, averaging 23:45 of ice time, most among rookies. Even after the Bo Horvat trade, do the Islanders have skaters who can compare? Yes, this is a contrast of styles, but it works the other way too. The Sabres are third in the NHL in goals per game (3.71), the Islanders 24th (2.89). It's great to play a playoff style, but you've got to get there first.
Roarke: Nick, I am always happy to help a friend in a debate when I am sure of my point. I will give you the fact that the Sabres are the more explosive team and have the better storylines and sexier names. But let's face it, we are in a five-week slog to the postseason where every game for teams on the bubble is going to resemble the style played in the postseason. What happens to teams that can score a lot but can't defend when the screws get tightened? They lose. Can Buffalo outscore its goalie deficiency in a game down the stretch? Yes, but can they do it consistently? I am not buying what you are selling. We both know that pedigree is important when the weather starts to warm in the spring. The Sabres are learning what meaningful late-season hockey is about. The Islanders know. The experience gap is huge here. New York's top-10 active scorers have played in a combined 565 NHL postseason games. The top-10 scorers for Buffalo? 90 Stanley Cup Playoff games; forwards Alex Tuch (66 games) and Kyle Okposo (24) account for all of it. The rest of the integral players for the Sabres? They will be experiencing the crucible of fine-line hockey for the first time down the stretch. Good luck with that!
