[open thread] Sabres vs. Penguins

       vs        

6PM TV:MSG Radio:WGR55

After the debacle yesterday in Madison Square Garden today's game becomes even more important.  The Sabres were the hottest team in the month of February but they were given a dose of reality yesterday.  A 5-1 loss and your number one goalie allowing four goals in just over 12 minutes helped reality set in quickly.

The Sabres and Penguins are pretty close in the standings and are both in need of two points today.  The Sabres fell back into ninth place with the loss to the Rangers but they are only five points behind the Penguins who are in fifth.  The Penguins won both games against the Sabres this season, a 2-0 win in Pittsburgh on December 29 and a 2-1 shootout win at Ralph Wilson Stadium in the Winter Classic on New Years Day.  This is the first meeting between the teams since the Winter Classic that was played in a snow storm.

Remember it's a six o'clock start again on a Sunday.  It seems like an odd start time but it has to do with the NBC flex scheduling.  The game could have been played at 3:30 on NBC if the powers that be would have chose it but they decided to continue their love fest with Detroit instead.  The last time the Sabres played a Sunday home game at six o'clock we all remember what happened, let's hope for the best in todays game.  

If you are interested in the Penguins point of view check out another SB Nation blog Pensburgh.  Frank has his open thread up already so stop by and say hello.

Buffalo Leaders

Goals:Derek Roy, Thomas Vanek 21
Assists:Brian Campbell 37
Points:Jason Pominville 51
Plus/minus:Daniel Paille +13
PIM:Andrew Peters 75

Penguins Leaders

Goals:Evgeni Malkin 33
Assists:Sidney Crosby 43
Points:Evgeni Malkin 75
Plus/minus:Sidney Crosby 15
PIM:Georges Laraque 100

Projected Sabres lines

MacArthur-Hecht-Pominville
Vanek-Roy-Connolly
Paille-Gaustad-Kotalik
Ryan-Mair-Kaleta

Tallinder-Lydman
Spacek-Campbell
Kalinin-Pratt