Preview: Sabres visit the high-scoring Jets

Game 19

Buffalo Sabres (10-6-2) vs Winnipeg Jets (11-5-1)

Puck Drop: 8:00 PM | MTS Centre | Winnipeg, MB

TV: MSG-B

Radio: WGR 550

SB Nation Jets Blog: Arctic Ice Hockey

Know Your Opponent

Winnipeg Jets

Record: (11-5-1) | 23 PTS

Last 10: 7-3-0

Division Ranking: 3rd in the Central Division

Conference Ranking: 3rd in the Western Conference

PP: 1st (34.0%)

PK: 10th (82.0%)

What to Watch

1. Slow start for Patrik Laine

The Jets sniper Patrik Laine is off to an uncharacteristically slow start this season. He has eight goals in 17 games, but only one of them have come at even strength. The 20-year-old Finn has the talent to take over a game if the Sabres don’t keep him in his current slump.

2. Stay out of the box

If the Sabres get into penalty trouble tonight it could be a rough evening. The Jets hold the top power play unit in the league. They have a dangerous first power play group with Laine, Kyle Connor, Blake Wheeler, and Mark Scheifele.

3. Lineup Shuffling

Phil Housley is making some more changes to his lineup for tonight. It looks like Patrik Berglund will get back in the lineup and Evan Rodrigues will come out of the lineup as a healthy scratch. Berglund will also slot in on the top power play unit tonight, to see if some changes can get the man advantage clicking again.

4. Another Backup

The Sabres will face another second-string goaltender tonight. Laurent Brossoit will be between the pipes for the Jets in place of a Connor Hellebuyck. He’s not Hellebuyck, however, Brossoit is having a good season. In three starts he’s 3-0, with a .957 save percentage, and 1.68 goals against average.

Buffalo Sabres

Forwards

Jeff Skinner - Jack Eichel - Sam Reinhart

Conor Sheary - Casey Mittelstadt - Kyle Okposo

Vladimir Sobotka - Patrik Berglund - Jason Pominville

Zemgus Girgensons - Johan Larsson - Tage Thompson

Defense

Jake McCabe - Rasmus Ristolainen

Marco Scandella - Zach Bogosian

Nathan Beaulieu - Rasmus Dahlin

Starting Goaltender: Carter Hutton

Winnipeg Jets

Forwards

Nikolaj Ehlers - Mark Scheifele - Blake Wheeler

Kyle Connor - Bryan Little - Patrik Laine

Andrew Copp - Adam Lowry - Brandon Tanev

Nicolas Petan - Jack Roslovic - Mathieu Perreault

Defense

Josh Morrissey - Jacob Trouba

Ben Chiarot - Dustin Byfuglien

Joe Morrow - Tyler Myers

Starting Goaltender: Laurent Brossoit