All you have to do is look at the Buffalo Sabres upcoming schedule and their place in the standings and recognize that their season hangs in the balance. The Sabres 3-0 loss to the St. Louis Blues on Thursday is their first regulation loss in eight games, but the club’s 5-5-4 record has them tied for last spot in the Eastern Conference with Columbus, the New York Rangers, and the New York Islanders. 

The realities of the schedule that are undeniable are that the Sabres, in spite of earning points in seven straight prior to Thursday, have lost five of their last six games and given back most of the progress they recouped since bouncing back from an 0-3 start by winning four of their next five games. The loss to the Blues, who were playing the second of back-to-back games, having scratched one of their top forwards in Jordan Kyrou, and playing backup goalie Joel Hofer, was especially egregious. 

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Buffalo in a condensed schedule in October and early November have played 10 games at KeyBank Center, nearly one-quarter of their home schedule for the season and have gone 5-3-2, that coupled with going winless on the road (0-2-2) has them only four points away from the bottom of the NHL standings. 

The club is without centers Jiri Kulich and Josh Norris, winger Justin Danforth, Jason Zucker, and Zach Benson, and on Friday, head coach Lindy Ruff indicated that team captain Rasmus Dahlin will be taking a leave of absence temporarily to return to Sweden on a personal matter. The Sabres road swing includes stops in Carolina, Utah, Colorado, and Detroit, where they will have to have some success to stay within range of a playoff spot in the East.   

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