Coach Phil Housley has long preached the importance of a "shot mentality." The Sabres have taken it to heart. Since that win over the Kings, the Sabres rank second in the NHL with an average of 38.6 shots per game. They've tallied 40 shots five times in eight games.
It's no coincidence that the Sabres also rank second in the league with 30 goals over that span.
"I think they're showing that they're taking pucks to the net, obviously," Housley said. "I don't know if it's the message, but I think they can see it. If it's a bad angle shot, it just creates offense. We're on the retrieval mode, other teams are reacting to us, we gain possession and we can start the cycle play."
Okposo says the high-volume shot totals are a product of the Sabres' commitment to playing within their system. They've aimed to transition as a "block of five" this season, from their defensive-zone breakouts to their cycling in the offensive zone.
Moving up the ice as a five-man unit has led to more time on offense, Okposo said, which in turn leads to more shots.
"I don't think we've spent as much time in our own end because we're working together and we're working smarter without the puck," he said. "We're working to support one another and then that, in turn, is giving us more opportunities in the offensive zone.
"It's a connected game. If you're off in the D-zone, you're not going to be very good in the O-zone and vice versa. I think that we're connected. We've been connected all over the ice in the past seven or eight games."
The Sabres are plus-62 in shot attempts over their last eight games, which ranks fifth in the NHL. Their 54.49 Corsi-for percentage ranks fourth in that same span. Both numbers indicate that they've played in the offensive zone more often than not.
The consistency with which they've played has its roots in practice, beginning with their arrival to training camp in September. Intensity is higher than it's been in years past, and the fruits of their labor are starting to show.
"When you lay the foundation throughout training camp, through the start of the season, of how you want to play in practice, then it becomes easy in games," Okposo said. "It just becomes second nature. It's not like you're trying to go into a game and flip a switch and all of a sudden, you're trying to play as hard as you can. You do it every day and it just becomes habit. That's part of maturing as a group.
"We've got a young team, but I think that's a valuable lesson that we've learned. Now we've got to continue to keep making those steps. We've got to trust that foundation, keep building it though."
