Will the Buffalo Sabres make the playoffs?

[GASabresIUFAN]

Just now, Taro T said:

Winning 5 of the last 6 gives them a chance.  Winning all 6 gives them a non-negligible chance.

Before tonight they needed to go 5-1-1 to get to 92 points. Now they have to go 5-0-1 in the last six.  However, with the loss to Fla, I think we'll need 93 points to have a realistic chance.

[Taro T]

6 minutes ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

Before tonight they needed to go 5-1-1 to get to 92 points. Now they have to go 5-0-1 in the last six.  However, with the loss to Fla, I think we'll need 93 points to have a realistic chance.

Don't expect they'll catch the Cats.  They need the Aisles and Pens to continue to play underwhelming hockey.  The Aisles could easily finish with only 91 points and if they can drop to 91 it only takes 1 bad goal against to fall to 90.

IF they catch the Pens, they'll almost certainly have the tie breaker over them.  The Pens should lose to Minny.  Find a way to lose 1 more game either in OT or regulation and 91 will be enough to be ahead of them too via tie breaks.

Not likely, but more likely than the Sabres running the table.

[Archie Lee]

I hope the team is not too disheartened and still takes a “one game, one period, one shift at a time” approach. The 2 games in hand make it at least interesting as if we win those we are only 2 pts back with all the teams having 4 remaining. 
 

Just beat Detroit. 

[Buffalonill]

So how can buffalo make the playoffs?

 What are the scenarios

[DarthEbriate]

35 minutes ago, Buffalonill said:

So how can buffalo make the playoffs?

 What are the scenarios

With the BUF-FLA outcome the Sabres no longer control their own destiny. The current field's maximum points they can reach: NYI 95, FLA 95, PIT 94, BUF 93.

If the Sabres win out, they still need 2 of the teams to end below 93 points (I think they might own 1 tiebreaker if they win out, but that's too much effort). Basically, if NYI or FLA wins 3 of their 4 remaining games, they're in. The Sabres need 2 or more losses from everybody (all with 4 games remaining).

 

[North Buffalo]

Going to msg to see them play the Rags next Monday... hope it is still meaningful

[Buffalonill]

1 hour ago, DarthEbriate said:

With the BUF-FLA outcome the Sabres no longer control their own destiny. The current field's maximum points they can reach: NYI 95, FLA 95, PIT 94, BUF 93.

If the Sabres win out, they still need 2 of the teams to end below 93 points (I think they might own 1 tiebreaker if they win out, but that's too much effort). Basically, if NYI or FLA wins 3 of their 4 remaining games, they're in. The Sabres need 2 or more losses from everybody (all with 4 games remaining).

 

Damn ok now i understand the 1% chance. 

 

[North Buffalo]

57 minutes ago, DarthEbriate said:

With the BUF-FLA outcome the Sabres no longer control their own destiny. The current field's maximum points they can reach: NYI 95, FLA 95, PIT 94, BUF 93.

If the Sabres win out, they still need 2 of the teams to end below 93 points (I think they might own 1 tiebreaker if they win out, but that's too much effort). Basically, if NYI or FLA wins 3 of their 4 remaining games, they're in. The Sabres need 2 or more losses from everybody (all with 4 games remaining).

 

One or the other not both just to be clear... 

[DarthEbriate]

19 minutes ago, North Buffalo said:

One or the other not both just to be clear... 

Good catch. The Sabres need any 2 of the 3 others to lose two or more games in regulation. (And go 5-0-1 or better themselves.)

[North Buffalo]

1 minute ago, DarthEbriate said:

Good catch. The Sabres need any 2 of the 3 others to lose two or more games in regulation. (And go 5-0-1 or better themselves.)

Yeh if the couldve just gotten to OT that 1 point couldve made a difference with Pitt

[DarthEbriate]

6 minutes ago, North Buffalo said:

Yeh if the couldve just gotten to OT that 1 point couldve made a difference with Pitt

Yup. Lots of opportunities throughout the season to pick up 3-6 more points. By my count the Sabres had 11 regulation losses where they scored 3 or more goals. 6 more times they scored 3+ but at least got a loser point in OT. For comparison, Toronto had 6 regulation losses and 5 OT losses in similar 3+ GF. 

Poor team defense and goaltending gave away a handful of points -- whether the team was young, inconsistent, streaky, etc.

[Scottysabres]

They came close. If Adam's can address the defense this off seadon and Granato can coach them to be the creator of aggressive pressure instead of the receiver of the aggressive pressure, the should have very little trouble making the playoffs next season.

[dudacek]

It won't be enough to make the playoffs, but Granato has a chance to be the first coach to match or even pass the record of Lindy Ruff's last full season with the team: 89 points.

As is, it's already the best season since then.

Also, back to Deluca .500

Edited April 8, 2023 by dudacek

[Marvin]

4 points out with 4 to play.

[irregularly irregular]

Yogi said it best. It's never over, until it's over. Go Sabres!!!

[WhenWillItEnd66]

Not a chance,  but they are definitely making it fun!!! (OR AGGRAVATING) I think next year will be their year with a couple of changes. 

[GASabresIUFAN]

If Fla and the NYI win one of their last 2 games, the Sabres will be eliminated.

[Contempt]

Still no. It was no weeks ago and it's still no now. No. It was no on deadline day. No.

[Andrew Amerk]

Yes. 

[BillsShredder83]

Getting rough. Sucks that were gunna end so close. A kicked goal beong called off against NYI and maybe Levi comes in a game or 2 earlier and were in

 

Can't gain any ground w/ pitt fla and ny winning every night 😭

[erickompositör72]

11 hours ago, Contempt said:

Still no. It was no weeks ago and it's still no now. No. It was no on deadline day. No.

You must be fun at parties

[DarthEbriate]

12 hours ago, Contempt said:

Still no. It was no weeks ago and it's still no now. No. It was no on deadline day. No.

Wait, wait, wait. You're saying you had already entirely written off the possibility of a playoff berth back when the Sabres had 3-4 games in hand on NYI, WSH, and PIT, the best points percentage of all the competitors for 7th-8th, before Tuch was injured, before Dahlin was injured, and before Thompson was injured, back well before the Panthers had gotten healthy and started their run, when none of the teams (BUF, DET, OTT, FLA, NYI, WSH, PIT were able to play consistently for more than a week and everyone was slogging along because of their inconsistencies and middling status.

You didn't ever believe in your preferred team?

[ndirish1978]

Basically NYI or FLA have to lose their final 2 games in order for us to go through, correct? Pit just has to drop a single point because we have them on a tiebreaker?

[Taro T]

21 minutes ago, ndirish1978 said:

Basically NYI or FLA have to lose their final 2 games in order for us to go through, correct? Pit just has to drop a single point because we have them on a tiebreaker?

The Pens have the tiebreak for now.  It would depend upon how the 2 teams got to 92 or 93 points to determine who would have it at that point.  The Sabres could get it from them but that's not an absolute given.  They likely would get the tie break from them, but if the Sabres had a SO win amongst their 3 wins to 92 or a couple of them to 93 and the Pens could still maintain the tie breaker.

[Huckleberry]

I can see florida losing both games to toronto and carolina 

NYI and PIT have easier opponents than us.