Game 58: The little things that can go wrong

The Sabres' 4-2 loss to the Canadiens was an exercise in execution and in frustration.

BUFFALO — It’s always interesting to watch a game turn on the slightest of errors. The Buffalo Sabres 4-2 loss to the Montréal Canadiens was a great example of how one slip-up or one tricky hop can spin the game right around and change the fortunes for everyone.

In essence it was a one-goal loss for Buffalo thanks to Jake Evans’ empty-net goal with 2:38 to go, but what they gave up in the second period on the power play to Cole Caufield, a breakdown to Josh Anderson, and what Sabres coach Lindy Ruff referred to as “falling asleep” on a 4-on-4 with 2.6 seconds left in the frame to Alex Newhook were all plays that could be tracked back to a mix-up or mess-up by the Sabres own hands.

“We gave them all their opportunities, I thought, all night,” Alex Tuch said. “Yeah, a couple missed plays, a couple puck-management issues. But as group, worked hard, but weren’t able to get it done, weren’t able to capitalize on our opportunities. We could’ve been a little bit more net focused at times.”

Focus was a tad bit lacking, sure, but against a team that for all intents and purposes is their equal (Buffalo and Montréal are the two youngest teams in the NHL), losing for the third time against them with two of those being at home and very winnable, it’s a summation of how frustrating the season can be for a team that’s been working through variable matters all season long.

“If you’re in a division game, you can’t lose three out of three games,” Rasmus Dahlin said. “That’s just how it is. It’s not good enough. It’s brutal.”

More from a hard loss in a hard time during a hard season ahead…