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There is nothing worse for a team than being out of the playoff race and still having to play out the remainder of the season. The Buffalo Sabres were hot, though back-to-back losses to the Columbus Blue Jackets and Florida Panthers have put a damper on that momentum.
Because of that, Sunday’s early evening matchup with the Tampa Bay Lightning just didn’t have that much intensity behind it. The results were typical of the Sabres: build momentum, see it disappear, get crushed under opposition momentum. Let’s get into the three takeaways from the loss to the Lightning.
Reimer Isn’t the Solution
Let’s get one thing out of the way immediately: James Reimer has been outstanding lately, and it’s been fun to watch. During his seven-start winning streak, he was as good as you could ask of any netminder, not just one that’s 37 years old.
No, he wasn’t good in this game. He gave up seven goals on 31 shots against a very good Lightning team. And, no, this game specifically was not the indication that he isn’t the answer as a backup.
Reimer hasn’t been good for the better part of three seasons now. This streak is definitely an anomaly, and it’s tough to improve as you get this close to the end of a career. He should be applauded for his play of late, but he isn’t the guy the Sabres need as a backup going into 2025-26.
The Sabres Are Still Light Years Behind Good Teams
The Sabres did manage to beat some good teams through their latest winning streak, so it’s not like this was the first real matchup they had. Even if you can see some positives to take into next season, there is still a massive distance between the Sabres and the legitimately good teams.
The Lightning were thought to be dead years ago as cap issues began to rise. But as things unfolded, Tampa’s management got it together, found good value, and surrounded its stars with other pieces to complement them.
The Sabres have pieces in place and aren’t as bad as they appear, but there is still a long, long, long way to go. Sabres management should be taking note if they want to learn what it takes to get to the top, because Tampa is challenging for yet another title.
Alex Tuch Deserves a Big, Fat Raise
There were rumors around the trade deadline that Alex Tuch was not part of the Sabres’ long-term plans. It felt insane at the time and is even more so now that we’ve seen him become one of the two or three best players on the team on a nightly basis.
Tuch picked up his 35th goal of the season against the Lightning, putting him just one behind his career-high of 36 set during the 2022-23 season. His 65 points are also the second-best of his career. Oh, he also leads the league in shorthanded goals.
He is as obvious a leader as there is in that locker room, and one of the best two-way forwards in the league. He deserves a big, fat extension this offseason to lock him in as part of this core. When Terry Pegula talked about there being solutions in the room, Tuch actually became one of them.
Can We Just End the Season Already?
At this point in the season, the lineup looks drastically different and we’re all just treading water waiting for things to be over. Even if the Sabres have looked much better over the last five or six weeks, the season is an abject failure. It needs to be over.
Playing spoiler to the Toronto Maple Leafs and their Atlantic Division aspirations would be nice, but that’s about it. Now begins the long journey to October and the hopes that the Sabres will have finally figured it out.
More must-reads:
- Islanders-Stars game ends with ejection, review and Patrick Roy screaming
- Steve Kerr 'very concerned' about worrisome trend plaguing NBA
- The 'NHL all-time goal leaders' quiz
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Who Will Join the Red Wings? Analyzing Current Top Prospects
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Steve Kerr 'very concerned' about worrisome trend plaguing NBA
Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr is sounding the alarm on a troubling trend affecting the league that could potentially worsen down the line. The NBA has faced some huge crises over the past few months. The Kawhi Leonard-Aspiration issue in the offseason raised concerns about the Los Angeles Clippers potentially circumventing the salary cap. The arrests of Chauncey Billups and Terry Rozier highlighted the growing threat of sports gambling on the integrity of the game. Steve Kerr highlights an under-the-radar concern While those fiascos have understandably grabbed headlines, Kerr recently expressed unease about a different issue that’s flying under the radar. The Warriors coach admitted to ESPN’s Anthony Slater that he is “very concerned” that the heightened pace of play in the modern game over an 82-game schedule may finally be taking its toll on the Association, with a growing number of soft tissue injuries impacting players of late. Eight different players have suffered soft tissue injuries over the past couple of weeks, headlined by stars like Anthony Davis, Victor Wembanyama and, most recently, Giannis Antetokounmpo. Kerr stated that the Warriors’ medical staff believes “wear and tear, the speed, the pace, the mileage” are increasing the risk of today’s players suffering such injuries. “Across the league, everyone understands that it’s easier to score if you beat the opponent down the floor, get out in transition,” Kerr said. “But when everybody’s doing that, the games are much higher-paced. Everyone has to cover out to 25 feet because everybody can shoot 3s. We have all the data. Players are running faster and further [than] before. We’re trying to do the best we can, but we basically have a game every other night. It’s not an easy thing to do.” Kerr, who has been an advocate for shortening the regular season, also lamented the struggles teams face with the league schedule, which makes it difficult for teams to get adequate recovery and practice time. With the Steph Curry-era Warriors being a huge part of the NBA’s pace and space movement, Kerr knows just how physically demanding the modern game has become. But with the financial implications that come with potentially shortening the season, Kerr understands that such a drastic change to the NBA schedule is “not happening” anytime soon.
Ole Miss HC Lane Kiffin breaks silence on reported ultimatum
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Steelers' Darnell Washington Makes History After Brutal Run Against Bengals: 'You Have Infamy'
The Pittsburgh Steelers are no stranger to Kyle Brandt's Angry Run award, but it usually goes to a running back, typically Jaylen Warren, or previously, when he was on the roster, Najee Harris. In Week 11 against the Cincinnati Bengals, someone made history, and it was not a running back. It was the 6'7", probably 300-pound tight end, Darnell Washington. During the game, Washington delivered a 31-yard catch and run and bulldozed through the Bengals’ defense. He was a one-man wrecking crew as he overpowered any defender brave enough to try and tackle him. His domination quickly became the talk of the game and left fans in awe of his size, strength, and determination. For the first time ever, Brandt did not have any other finalists for the award. Washington was finalist 1, 2, and 3. His historic performance against the Bengals will live on in football fans’ memories forever, a moment that changed the way people view the Angry Run award. For Steeler Nation, the 2025 season has finally been the year of Washington. "That is Darnell doing Darnell things, way too big of a dude to be running like that," Brandt said. "So I have got Darnell Washington from the Steelers and there it is again. That is the third finalist as Darnell Washington runs over a dude... This was the Godfather trilogy of runs, except he stuck the landing on part three." Not only was it crazy that a tight end was being nominated for the award, he completely stole any running back's chance of even being considered for the Angry Run award. That just shows how dominant Washington’s run truly was on Sunday. Every defender in his path was left in awe. His performance will be remembered as one of the most unstoppable plays of the 2025 season. "A play of three acts," Brandt said. "A play of violence, a tragedy, but also a comedy at the same time. This thing's going to the Steel City. Darnell Washington, you have made history. You have infamy, and you have the scepter. It's going back to where it belongs after an all-time Angry Run. New York, an all-time Angry Run. Boom. See you next week." Steelers fans have been waiting to see this kind of performance from Washington ever since he was drafted 93rd overall by Pittsburgh in the 2023 NFL Draft. Steelers' Darnell Washington Is Tight End 1 Coming out of Georgia, he was known as an elite blocking tight end, but Sunday showed the full extent of his rare combination of speed, size, and sheer strength. When used properly, Washington can be one of the most unique and dominant tight ends in the league. His historic run against the Bengals was a glimpse of his true potential and a reminder of why Steelers fans are so excited about his future. It seems that Washington has now clearly passed tight ends Pat Freiermuth and Jonnu Smith to become the current number one tight end for the Steelers. The Steelers have three elite tight ends on their roster. Now it's up to Offensive Coordinator Arthur Smith to continue to find out how to use them properly. Steelers fans, when you saw Darnell Washington bulldozing through Bengals defenders and making those jaw-dropping plays, what was going through your mind in that moment? How did it feel to see him dominate like that on the field?
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