Year in Review: Part 2

Year in Review

Part 2

                Following the team’s player only meeting, they headed to New Jersey for their final game before the all- star break. A win would go a long way not only in the team’s mathematical chance at making the playoffs, but rather it would serve as the ultimate boost to the team’s moral and confidence. The Sabres dug deep and found a way to squeak out a win via the shootout, thus the birth of the playoff push.  The team then went on a run stringing together multiple win streaks accompanied by a new found scoring touch. With a new found swagger and boost of confidence, the team looked as good as any team in the league, and left most Sabre’s fans to wonder, where would we sit if we played this way all year?  All the way up to the start of April, the Sabres were in and out of a playoff spot, and the entire second half push came to a head in a Tuesday night showdown against Washington. With two teams battling for one spot, it was do or die time. The Sabres came out on top in a commanding 5-2 victory, that had the hometown faithful wondering  if that was it. The Sabres just needed to get 3 points over their final two games to qualify for the eighth and final playoff spot. In a Thursday night game in Philadelphia, with the team needing a win, they played strong all the way into the third, however it all fell apart with just minutes left in the third, cutting the Sabre’s playoff lives just short. Although the team did show resilience and determination during adverse times in the second half, a better start to the season would have guaranteed a playoff spot. If the 2012 Buffalo Sabres can play a full season similar to the 2011 Sabres second half of the season, they will without a doubt have the potential to make a deep playoff push.