The Buffalo Sabres made subtle adjustments to Don Granato's system but reverted to their previous season's style of play, resulting in a 9-3 win. Kyle Okposo expressed the team's support for Granato, emphasizing the need to prove it on the ice. Granato acknowledged the players' backing and the importance of playing for the right reasons. He also highlighted the team's initial grind but noted the lack of sustained effort throughout the game.
Granato: "Tonight, up until the first goal...we had some grind to our game, we had it right out of the gate but we didn't have enough...it was thew grind, not-willing to grind over the course of the game..." #Sabres
“There might have been a disconnect and a few issues here and there with how we were playing …” The Sabres scrapped the subtle adjustments to Don Granato’s system and went back to playing the way they did last season. My story from the 9-3 win: https://t.co/dO6EUrt6TW
"We wanted to do more than just say we have his back, we wanted to go out there and prove it, and I think we did a pretty good job of that." More on the #Buffalo #Sabres' showing their belief in Don Granato by annihilating the Toronto Maple Leafs: https://t.co/2ePjbh2CmS
Granato says they are really discussing going back to what they did last season, with their style of play, and then deal with whatever issues come up (defensively) and deal with it as it comes. #Sabres
Granato is pretty emotional to learn the players had his back after what happened Tuesday, especially since he admits coaches have to be hard on them. #Sabres
Granato: "I don't even think our guys when they got down just wanted to play...playing for the right reason, the reason that has made you great, the pure joy of playing...we've been side-tracked from that quite a bit..." #Sabres
Okposo on Granato: "Anytime you hear that from the home fans, it's a reflection on us, on how we play, we are a very tight knit group in here" Says that's not a good feeling for us, we wanted to do more than just say that we had his back. #Sabres