Sabres Blown Out By Leafs, Hold Lead Over Bolts

The Buffalo Sabres were embarrassed by another non-playoff team in Adams Division rivals, the Toronto Maple Leafs.

The Leafs have struggled mightily this season but the cure to their (and most every other teams in the league's) ailments seem to be a game against the Sabres. The Leafs' offense exploded and they coasted to an 8 to 2 victory over the second to last place Sabres.

One positive note in the game was the continued production seen from the Sabres' top line, namely Markus Naslund and Pavel Bure. They, along with young defensive star Richard Matvichuk, combined for the pair of goals Buffalo was able to score last night. Bure's goal total for the year is now at 31, just 2 goals off his career high. The play of this trio of players has been the one bright spot in this lost 1996 season and is likely an indication that they are three of the only players currently on the pro roster that are considered a part of the core going past this season. 

The 7 powerplays allowed for Toronto yet again tonight was a determining factor in the outcome of this game, and one would have to think and hope that GM Johnson addresses overall team discipline in the upcoming offseason. The good news is that many of the usual culprits in the penalty box this season are on expiring contracts, and the other ones are likely to be exposed in an otherwise extremely weak expansion draft.

The good news for the Sabres and their fans is that this embarrassing season is coming to an end at a rapid pace. Only a handful of games remain in the 1996 regular season and GM Johnson and his amateur and pro scouting staffs will immediately be hard at work trying to make this team much more competitive in 1997. In a league with so many strong teams, we can't expect too much too soon, but the hope is that Buffalo is able to take a respectable step after another long offseason.

-Buffalo, NY