5 takeaways | Adams gets fresh perspective in loss to Pens

Buffalo Sabres general manager Kevyn Adams has a series of decisions to make regarding the future of the organization over the coming months, including an April 12 trade deadline and a coaching hire. He was given an alternate perspective on the state of the team Thursday.
Adams took over behind the bench during a 4-0 loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins with interim head coach Don Granato and interim assistant coach Matt Ellis both unavailable due to the NHL's COVID-19 protocols. He said afterward that the experience will be a useful evaluation tool moving forward.
"I think there's a different perspective when you're on the bench," Adams said. "You're feeling the emotions of the game, you're understanding how the players are interacting. You see things a little bit of a different way at ice level. … I think from an evaluation standpoint you do learn a lot."
Here are five takeaways from the game, which extended the team's winless streak to 16 games (0-14-2).

1. Sabres clean up their game, but offense falls short

The Sabres were plagued by turnovers that turned into odd-man rushes during a 5-2 loss to the Penguins on Wednesday. They largely cleaned up those areas Thursday and even came away with an edge in most statistical categories, including shots (36-32) and high-danger attempts at 5-on-5 (14-7).
As has been the case so often this season, the Sabres were simply unable to capitalize on their chances. Penguins goalie Casey DeSmith turned away 15 shots in the first period alone en route to his second shutout of the season against the Sabres.
The Sabres did finally beat DeSmith during the third period thanks to a highlight-reel rush by rookie Dylan Cozens, who powered past Mike Matheson before setting up Victor Olofsson at the net. The goal was taken off the board after the Penguins challenged for an offside entry.
"The message that I was pushing and the coaches were pushing was, simplify, get to the net," Adams said. "You have to get into the inside, you have to have hunger to get to the net, you have to be willing to get your nose dirty around the paint. To be honest, I think we did some good things in that regard. We didn't execute so we have to be better."

2. Power-play struggles continue

The difference in the game largely came down to special teams. The Penguins scored once at even strength, off the stick of rookie Radim Zohorna late in the first period. Jared McCann added a pair of power-play goals and Jake Guentzel scored into an empty net.
The Sabres went 0-for-4 with the extra man, extending their drought without a power-play goal to 15 games. They are 0-for-28 in that span.
"I think our effort was good for 60 minutes," Adams said. "Our execution wasn't. That's the best way for me to kind of explain it. I don't feel from an effort standpoint or a skating or pace of the game standpoint we were off at all. It felt like an even game in that way.
"They executed. They get the two power-play goals out of four chances. We get zero out of four chances. They scored when they needed to, we missed the net."

3. No update on Granato and Ellis

Adams said he was hoping to receive more information on the coaches' status shortly. He said prior to the game that neither Granato nor Ellis had experienced symptoms to that point.
The team is scheduled to return to practice on Friday.

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4. Lineup notes

C.J. Smith and Steven Fogarty were recalled from the taxi squad prior to the game and joined the lineup in place of Tage Thompson and Rasmus Asplund.
Thompson missed his second straight game with an illness. He is not in the NHL's COVID protocols. Asplund was placed on injured reserve after exiting Wednesday's game during the first period.

5. Up next

The Sabres conclude their road trip in Boston on Saturday afternoon.
"What I said to the guys after the game is we're all in it," Adams said. "You're in it together. We're in tough and we know that and it's never an easy way out of these things. You have to fight, you have to dig in, you have to be willing to … somewhat maybe get out of character a little bit.
"You have to just find a way because I promise you this, it's a good hockey league and nobody's going to feel sorry for anybody. That was the message to the team. The one thing you can't do, though, is ever give in."
Coverage on MSG begins at 12:30 p.m. Puck drop is scheduled for 1.