Thirteen-percent.
That’s the number of teams in NHL history that have successfully returned from a 2-0 deficit to win a series. But don’t bother telling the Buffalo Sabres the odds of beating the Senators. Even as recently as Saturday night, Daniel Briere led another late-game comeback. And how probable was it that he would score with 5.8 seconds left?
What was the probability that four out of its top six defenseman would be knocked out last spring? Or that the Sabres would have won their first 10 games this season?
Try this: how many times has Buffalo won four of five games this season? 35 times. (Thanks to Brad Riter for this stat!) Two of the last four teams that won the Stanley Cup (Detroit—2002, Vancouver and Carolina—2006, Montreal) made the charge back from 2-0, albeit in the first round. Buffalo tied its 2001 series with Pittsburgh, winning twice at the Igloo and Game 5 at HSBC before dropping the final two games — both in overtime.
There’s been many times where the fans (including me), have hesitated, or even stopped believing. But this is the team that taught Buffalo to believe again. To not expect losing and heartbreak go hand-in-hand with being from The Queen City. So I’m still believing. And it’s not over:
The reasonable man adapts himself to the world; the unreasonable one persists in trying to adapt the world to himself.
Posted by: Air Jordans | 01 November 2010 at 01:07 AM