Offense Non-Existent in Sabres Shutout Loss to Islanders

The Buffalo Sabres were unable to generate enough dangerous chances to beat Ilya Sorokin and the New York Islanders in their 3-0 loss. The Sabres recorded 29 shots on goal but only had 1.95 expected goals in the game, per Evolving-Hockey. The poor shot quality was Buffalo’s biggest detractor, as James Reimer played well and the defense was good in front of him.

The Islanders had a goal called back on an offside challenge by Lindy Ruff and the coaching staff, leading to a 0-0 first period. It took until Anders Lee’s powerplay goal at 7:03 into the second period to get New York on the board. Lee then set up Simon Holmstrom on a two-on-one a couple of minutes later to extend the lead.

Power & Jokiharju were on the ice for Holmstrom’s 2-on-1 goal.

Per Evolving-Hockey, of all pairings over 50 minutes played together, they’ve been Buffalo’s worst in xGF%.

That was their first actual goal against at 5-on-5. pic.twitter.com/nXbUkEq6Ki

— Jason Moser 🏒 (@PuckLuckJay) December 1, 2024

Holmstrom sealed it with the Sabres pressing, as his empty-netter finalized the win for the Islanders.

Where Art Thou Offense?

The scoring woes are starting to mount for the Sabres, as they were shut out for the second time in three games. The scoring trouble dates back a couple of weeks, as the Sabres have averaged only two goals per game over the past five road games.

Tage Thompson, the team’s main source of offense up front, had his worst performance of the season. Thompson looked visibly tired and perhaps shaken up, as he played his third game in four days since returning from injury.

The Sabres failed to add to the top-six forward group this offseason. The result is a lack of top-end offensive creators up front, especially with Jack Quinn struggling all season. General manager Kevyn Adams has to be alarmed with the recent trend, as he continues to search around the league for a solution.

Zach Benson

For the second straight day, Zach Benson was at the epicenter of Buffalo’s attack. Relying on a 19-year-old to be the focal point of the offense isn’t a winning formula every night. However, it’s an encouraging sign for the Sabres to get those kinds of returns from the youngster.

Benson is doing what Quinn and JJ Peterka are not. He’s getting to the net and making life difficult for opposing players. Playing that way will yield consistent results, whether it’s scoring or keeping opponents off the board.

The Sabres should be thrilled with what they found in Benson, as this is only scratching the surface of what he can be.

More Benson: Can Zach Benson Take a Leap in Sophomore Season for Sabres

What’s Next

The Sabres wrap up November going 7-6-1. It’s not ideal for a team with playoff aspirations, and they’ll have to show growth in December. Buffalo hosts five straight home games over the span of nine days to start the month. The Colorado Avalanche are first up on the schedule, as Casey Mittelstadt will make his return to Buffalo on Tuesday.