Buffalo Sabres-Ottawa Seantors: Another Third Period Collapse for Buffalo

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The Buffalo Sabres are in unfamiliar territory this season. They are riding a three game losing streak, and not showing any signs of urgency.

Buffalo traveled up to Ottawa to take on a senators team that was on a roll winning their last three games.On the other end of the spectrum Buffalo had lost their last two games and not looked good in doing so.

Ottawa came out and dominated play in the first five minutes of the first period before Buffalo found their legs and controlled the final fifteen minutes of play. Nineteen minutes into the first period Thomas Vanek got Buffalo on the board first with a power play goal to end the period in Buffalo's favor 1-0.

The second period the roles reversed as Ottawa continued to pound Buffalo. Phillip Kuba was able to get his point shot past goaltender Patrick Lalime to knot the game up at one, early in the second. But buffalo fans could see the tide swinging. Daniel Alfredsson would prove the Senators were in this game as he got his wrister from the slot past Lalime to pull Ottawa ahead.

The second period would end much like the first, with one team holding a one goal lead. The third period was where it all cam unglued again for Buffalo. As Ottawa just destroyed any chances of Buffalo making a comeback.

The Senators would net the next three goals within the first eight minutes of the third period to take an eventual 5-1 lead. Buffalo would come back on Ottawa pulling within two goals as Patrick Kaleta and Jason Pominville would score, but it was too little, too late. And Ottawa skated away with the 5-3 win.

Thoughts and observations

Craig Rivet: This guy looks old. He continues to get caught flat footed and out skated far too often to be in a No. 1 pairing.

The offense: The box score says they put 41 shots up tonight, but holy cow how many actually hit the net? I can think of at least seven shots from fifteen feet or closer that were shot terribly wide.

The defense: Again back up goaltender comes in and they forget how to play defense. I do not recall on blue liner even trying to drop to block a shot all night. Not to mention what happened to the defense clearing the front of the net so the goaltenders have a chance? Absolute terrible team performance. Toni Lydman may be next to be visiting the press box.

The coaching: How is it Lindy Ruff cannot get his team up on a consistent basis to play back to back games? This has been a bug a boo for him for years now. Maybe a little less being the nice guy and a little more of being the disciplinarian Lindy.

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