(My Sportsbook) - One cannot criticize the Buffalo Sabres for trying Tuesday night against Boston.

Trailing 4-1 in the waning minutes of the match, Buffalo valiantly utilized a pair of Chris Gratton goals to draw within one. Keeping with their recent luck, however, the comeback fell short and the Sabres were left to ponder a ninth consecutive game without reaching the win column (0-7-2).

"It doesn't get any easier," said Gratton, who now leads the team with six goals and 10 assists. "If you look at our schedule and the teams that we play, it just gets harder and harder as the year goes on."

And hard it was Tuesday, as Gratton and Co. faced a Bruins team that has jumped out of the gates strong and leads the Northeast Division with a 23 points -- 14 ahead of the last-place Sabres. Boston set the tone early when Joe Thornton deflated HSBC Arena just 21 seconds into the first by banging a rebound past goaltender Mika Noronen.

Buffalo's J.P. Dumont tied the contest later in the first, and the Sabres actually pressured opposing goaltender Steve Shields with 11 shots in the frame. But Shields kept damage to a minimum and the Bruins flexed their recently enhanced offensive muscle with three goals in the opening 8:38 of the second stanza.

Gratton's tallies then made the score respectable late, but in actuality just summed up the Sabres' frustration during their current slide. Three of the club's seven losses during the lull have been by one goal, and the team has struggled to get all facets of the roster rolling on the same night.

"When we had the goaltending we didn't have the offense," head coach Lindy Ruff said. "Then we've scored some goals, but we're giving up too many."

Netminding has clearly been a concern in the last two setbacks, as the Buffalo goalie has been pulled in the second period of each. Noronen was yanked after allowing four goals on 14 shots against Boston, and Martin Biron left the crease following a 4-on-12 showing in Saturday's 6-4 loss to lowly Atlanta.

And, as stated by Gratton above, things will not get any easier for the Sabres the rest of the month. Teams like Toronto, Ottawa and New Jersey are on the docket, as are surprising squads like Tampa Bay and Pittsburgh. The only team that seems to be a pushover is Columbus, but the Blue Jackets are off to a respectable 7-6-1-1 start in their third year.

And respectable is something the Sabres haven't been.

UP NEXT

Buffalo will host the Leafs on Friday, before opening a two-game road trip the next night against the Senators.