from Mike Harrnington of the Buffalo News,

What we saw Sunday in KeyBank Center was a mess. The knee-jerk reaction would be to try to blame goalie Carter Hutton for it. Too easy.

Hutton's first game in 12 days was an up-and-down affair, but he would be well down the list of this corner's issues in the mind-numbing 5-3 loss to New Jersey.

By the numbers, Hutton stopped 32 of 36 shots he faced (the Devils added an empty-net goal). There was a huge save on Jack Hughes in the second period shortly after the Sabres pulled within 2-1, and a big one in the third on P.K. Subban as well.

The Sabres' puck management was terrible all day and they botched time and situation three times in the first two periods. The goals against were bizarre. The top-paid offensive players still don't score (Jack Eichel + Taylor Hall + Jeff Skinner + Kyle Okposo = three goals thus far).

On the road back after that ugly blow to the head from Ivan Provorov in Philadelphia, how did Hutton's afternoon start? With defensemen Brandon Montour and Matt Irwin forgetting to set their alarm clocks for the 1:05 opening faceoff.

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