‘Under Granato’s watch, the Sabres posted a 9-16-3 record, including a mark of 9-11-2 since their franchise-record 18-game winless streak. He padded his résumé by implementing an effective, up-tempo system that prioritized puck possession and suited the talent on the roster.’
Archives for May 9, 2021
The Wraparound: Michael Houser magnificent, but Sabres drop season finale
‘Buffalo was shut out for the ninth time this season, but this wasn’t a flat performance. The Sabres finished with 29 shots on goal, as the Penguins (37-16-3) received a remarkable performance from third-string goalie Maxime Lagace, a 28-year-old with only 17 games of NHL experience.’
Many Sabres thrived with Don Granato: ‘I owe Donnie a huge thank you’
‘“A lot of guys, including myself, owe Donnie quite a bit,” Mittelstadt said on a Zoom call following Saturday afternoon’s 1-0 loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins in the season finale. “He challenged me when he took over and pushed me to become a better player. I think it’s that simple.”‘
Sunday’s Pittsburgh Coverage
Maxime Lagace shuts out Buffalo, Penguins clinch East Division title (Pittsburgh Post Gazette)
Penguins looking forward to loosened COVID-19 protocols in the NHL playoffs (Pittsburgh Post Gazette)
Goaltender Maxime Lagace records shutout in Penguins debut (Pittsburgh Tribune Review)
Empty Thoughts: Penguins 1, Sabres 0 (Pittsburgh Tribune Review)
Photo gallery (NHL.com)
Lagace Steps In and Posts Shutout in Pens Debut (PittsburghPenguins.com)
Carter, Lagace help Penguins beat Sabres, clinch 1st in East
‘“I think our guys advanced,” Sabres interim coach Don Granato said. “They have a taste of confidence. They should have had no confidence after giving up eight goals the other day. They came in from the drop of the puck and had confidence, and that’s progress.”’
Sabres blanked in season finale against Penguins
‘Buffalo trailed on the scoreboard through 40 minutes of play, despite owning a 24-9 shot advantage over Pittsburgh.’
Opinion: The Sabres end with a strong effort, but a loss
‘Yes, they lost 1-0, but they had a really nice game and played right up until the final horn. Don Granato was very happy they treated the finale like it was any game, “That’s something to be proud of. You hand it off to your team and they’re going to respond or not and yesterday’s practice was a real good indication that they were going to be engaged and you could see it in the preparation today, so I give them a tremendous amount of credit for dialing in today and we still generated chances that we just didn’t convert on.”’
Five Observations: 2021 Sabres season comes to a close in shutout fashion
‘When you include Thursday night’s onslaught, Houser’s number seem to be about par for the course for any goalie not named Linus Ullmark. After just his first two starts, though, he had a .940 save percentage. Between those two wins, he made 79 saves.’
Season overlook: Sabres drop final game for 41st loss of the season
‘There were, however, bright spots in this Sabres’ season. Once Granato took over the team, there was obvious development with young players who were struggling, and Adams insists the interim coach is highly considered for the head coaching job, which will be filled this offseason.’
Penguins clinch first in East Division after shutout of Sabres
‘”They should have no confidence going into this building today giving up eight goals the other day,” Sabres coach Don Granato said. “They came in that game from the drop of the puck and had confidence. That’s progress.”‘