BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — KeyBank Center emptied well before the Columbus Blue Jackets concluded their 9-4 drubbing of the Sabres on Tuesday night, a few stragglers from the announced crowd of 14,888 left groaning at the horn. The quiet discouragement echoed louder booing that came in flurries over the preceding hours of the home team's demoralizing defeat against one of the few NHL opponents with a worst record this season. And a growing chorus was heard calling for the coach's head.
Rasmus Dahlin got the opening goal 30 seconds into the contest, a rare feat for a Sabres player these days, but the Blue Jackets scored the next seven in skating to their biggest win in two seasons, and first time scoring nine goals in over seven years. Goals from Kyle Okposo, Tage Thompson and Dylan Cozens came long after the Sabres were jeered by the home fans for much of the first two periods, and starting goaltender Devon Levi was replaced by Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen before the game was half over.
Following a win last week on the road against the league-leading Vegas Golden Knights and former captain Jack Eichel, a second consecutive loss to a losing team deflated the Sabres' record to 13-17-3, closer to the cellar-dwelling Blue Jackets (11-17-5) than playoff contention, with four fewer wins than a year ago at this time.
Buffalo's fans voiced their displeasure with the effort, a familiar refrain in the 13th winter of the deepest postseason doldrums in NHL history.
"That’s 12 years for them, for sure," said Okposo, the Sabres captain, when asked about the generational angst of the fanbase. "Not all of that’s on us. It’s a lot of frustration and that’s understandable. As a group, we bare, obviously, some of that responsibility from tonight.
"That’s a lot of deep s*** that’s pent up in the fans and that’s OK."
Okposo disputed a suggestion that the Sabres quit in the second period when they allowed three goals in 7:27 of the second period to fall behind 6-1.
"I don’t think we played well," Okposo said. "I think every mistake was costing us. We hung our goalies out to dry, for sure, just giving up odd-man rushes, not paying attention to the details. I don’t think we quit."
Encapsulating the inconsistent performance from the NHL's youngest lineup by saying that "collectively we’re in the middle of a sophomore slump," Okposo stuck up for Sabres coach Don Granato.
"Listen, I’m not gonna sit here and bash the coaches," Okposo said. "I’m not gonna talk about us quitting. I’m not gonna talk about Donnie and us not listening. That’s not right. Donnie has our full support. We are gonna play hard for Donnie and that’s it."
Granato was steadfast in stating that the Sabres will respond from the humbling loss in time.
"I've stood here before in situations like this and told you I have conviction and confidence that we will resolve it. And we will," Granato said. "This this group is resilient. They care. And those two traits will push them through."
Granato deflected a question about his job security, instead pointing to the need for collective improvement.
"My concern is on making this group better tomorrow," he said. "It was my concern from day one, and it'll stay my concern. We are going to make this team better. And I said it with absolute respect for our fanbase. And when we go to work and I don't sleep, it's because of that, we care about that. We want to do good on that. And I still can stand here with confidence that we will."
Levi stopped 14 of the 18 shots he faced in 28 minutes before getting chased, struggling after a string of strong starts since the rookie was recalled from the minor leagues. Luukkonen let in two goals before making the first of his 10 saves on 15 shots.
While forward Jack Quinn made his season debut for the Sabres, returning from a torn Achilles in the offseason, top-line winger Alex Tuch left the game late in the second period after taking a shot to the face.
The Sabres host their rival Toronto Maple Leafs on Thursday night.
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Jonah Bronstein joined the WIVB squad in 2022 as a digital sports reporter. The Buffalonian has covered the Bills, Sabres, Bandits, Bisons, colleges, high schools and other notable sporting events in Western New York since 2005, for publications including The Associated Press, The Buffalo News, and Niagara Gazette. Read more of his work here.