The Buffalo Sabres Prove That 4-0 Is Actually The Worst Lead In Hockey
Bill Wippert. Getty Images.Ice hockey was invented sometime in the 1800s. The first recorded indoor hockey game was played in March of 1875. So let's just say the modern game of hockey is 150 years old. That means that for 150 years, it was believed that a 2-0 lead was the worst lead in hockey. Just big enough to let you feel at ease and take your foot off the gas a little. But just small enough that a single goal against could completely shift the momentum of the game.
For 150 years, everybody has dreaded the 2-goal lead. That is, of course, until December 3rd 2024. Because that's when the Buffalo Sabres got off to a 4-goal lead at home against the Colorado Avalanche.
4-0 with 8 minutes still to play in the 1st period. That's what we call a good ol' fashioned shellacking. The Sabres were able to keep the blank sheet going into the first intermission, and I'm sure the boys were already thinking about where they were heading for dinner after the game.
Buffalo lost their previous 3 games heading into this one. It probably had to feel great to finally have a game going their way. A big win against one of the best teams in the league over the last 5 years. This was the type of win they needed to get themselves going.
But then Nathan MacKinnon had to ruin the shutout.
No big deal. It was still 4-1 heading into the 2nd intermission. All the Sabres had to do was hold on for another 20 minutes. But then Joel Kiviranta got another on the board for the Avs. Then Logan O'Connor made it a 1-goal game with 15 minutes to go in the 3rd. And then before you know it…
It's the Dawg again.
4 straight for the Avs before Buffalo even knew what hit 'em. A 4-0 lead completely erased, but at least there was still time to make up for it. One more goal for the Sabres and they'd just be able to laugh this one off. But it's kind of hard to score when you only put up 7 shots in the 3rd period.
And finally,,,,
I mean what do you even do after a loss like that? The goddamn Buffalo Sabres, man. Just when you think that maybe this team is finally going to turn things around, they're just the same old Sabres over and over again.
Thank god for the Buffalo Bandits of the National Lacrosse League. The only team in Buffalo that is actually able to pull through and provide for the great people of that city. Back-to-back NLL champs in 2023 and 2024. They've won 6 NLL titles. The only team that doesn't completely rip out the hearts of that city. But the Sabres? They're not even just ripping out hearts at this point. They're shoving shit down the throats of Buffalonians everywhere.