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Quick Visit to Suddenly Struggling Sabres?

November 19, 2019, 2:13 PM ET [3 Comments]
Dan Wallace
Minnesota Wild Blogger • RSSArchiveCONTACT
A quick trip to Buffalo for the Wild after their brief two game home stand that saw them split the two contests and getting three points in the process.

The encouraging fact is the Wild are showing an ability to come back in games despite being down by multiple goals. Of course the flip side of that is why are they continually falling behind early in games?

Is the team not ready to play?

Are they unprepared?

Do they just need to get kicked in the teeth a few times before they get the motor going?

Or here is a crazy thought, are they just not as good as their opponents?

There is probably a combination of all of the above going on with the Wild through the first quarter of the season. We have beaten to death the fact that the schedule has been very unkind to the Wild however that is more of an excuse than it is the primary factor in their 7-11-2 record.

Of late the Wild have been more competitive and they are starting to get more consistent production from multiple players up front. Kevin Fiala is gaining more confidence every game and his linemates Mikko Koivu and Zach Parise are learning his tendencies which is translating into scoring opportunities and goals.

The Wild top line of Eric Staal, Mats Zuccarello, and Jason Zucker have gelled nicely giving Boudreau confidence in multiple lines for the first time in I don't know how long.

Luke Kunin has four points in the last five Wild games after contributing just three points in his first 14 contests. Jordan Greenway has points in the last two games as his game is starting to round into form. Now if only Ryan Donato can find that game he had when he first arrived in Minnesota from Boston last February the Wild may be able to make a move up the standings.

Tonight the Wild get a Sabres team that has won just once in their last eight (1-5-2) and are coming off a 4-1 defeat in Chicago on Sunday night. November has been the inverse of October for Buffalo after the Sabres opening month 9-2-2 record.

Jack Eichel has a lot more help these days and the Sabres are poised to take a big step forward up the rankings. The recent streak of down play is not indicative of this Sabres talent so expect the Wild to be in for a tough one tonight at KeyBank Center.

It's always Hockey Day in The State of Hockey!
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