Game day: Buffalo Sabers fans mock Ottawa Senators’ seven-year playoff drought

It’s been a frustrating seven years for Ottawa Senators fans. But imagine how they would feel if the club’s playoff drought lasted another six years. It’s almost unthinkable.

But Buffalo Sabers fans live it. “Seven-year playoff drought? Pfffft! Hold our beer.”

The Sabers haven’t made the playoffs in 13 years. This is the longest playoff drought in NHL history. This chart pretty much confirms it.

With guys like Rasmus Dahlin, Owen Power, Tage Thompson, Alex Tuch, Jason Zucker and JJ Peterka, Buffalo isn’t lacking in talent, they’re just lacking in wins…again.

But it’s early.

As they host the Senators tonight, Buffalo started the year with a 4-7-1 recordlosers in three in a row. Ottawa has shown some good signs lately, but its record (6-5) isn’t exactly parade-worthy either. And Buffalo is licking its lips with the Senators’ 1-4 road record.

The Sabres’ power play success rate, or lack thereof, has been a big part of their problems. While the Senators are buzzing with a 33.3 percent success rate, third best in the NHL, Buffalo is the worst (despite the Leafs’ best efforts) at 8.6 percent.

In 12 games, the Sabers have scored just three power play goals.

Nostalgia for the old school of Sens-Sabres

Much like the struggling Senators did last season with Jacques Martin (and perhaps inspired by it), the Sabers are relying on their own blast from the past, rehires Lindy Ruff as head coach.

This will be the first regular season game in 12 years that Ruff will face Ottawa as head coach of the Sabres. During his first go-around, his Sabers teams fought epic battles with the Sens, notably in 2007 with the Ray Emery against everyone, online brawl and the face each other in the Eastern Conference finals.

Ruff was also Travis Green’s boss in New Jersey last season. When Ruff was fired near the end of last seasonGreen moved from assistant to interim head coach. It wasn’t long before both men found themselves with new jobs as Atlantic Division rivals.

Injury News

Artem Zub is in Buffalo so his return is imminent, but it won’t be tonight. Zub has suffered a concussion since October 14 after a brutal shot of Tanner Jeannot from Los Angeles. At practice today, Travis Hamonic was still riding shotgun with Jake Sanderson, the Starsky in his Hutch. Zub is back for another day, roaming the bottom pair.

Shane Pinto skated briefly in practice yesterday, but left early. Green says the early release was planned.

Here’s how Green worked the lines today, performing the same combos as in the 3-0 win over Seattle on Saturday. The only line-up change this evening? Linus Ullmark will start against the team he entered the league with.

Buffalo had an optional practice this morning and Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen was on the starting side.