Game 41

Buffalo Sabres (12-21-7) vs. Philadelphia Flyers (13-19-8)

Puck Drop: 1:00 PM EST | KeyBank Center | Buffalo, NY

TV: MSG

Radio: WGR 550

SB Nation Flyers Blog: Broad Street Hockey

Know Your Opponent

Philadelphia Flyers

Record: (13-19-8) | 34 PTS

Division Ranking: 6th in Metropolitan

PP: 26th (15.7%)

PK: 17th (79.3%)

1. Slumping Teams

Both the Buffalo Sabres and Philadelphia Flyers come into Saturday’s matinee with a combined record of 2-13-5 in their last 10 games combined.

Yikes.

Furthermore, Philadelphia just recently lost their tenth game in a row, for the second time this season. This is the first time in franchise history that the Flyers have lost 10 games in a row on two separate occasions in the same season.

2. Red Hot Tuch

Since returning to the ice after offseason shoulder surgery, Alex Tuch has found a home in the Buffalo Sabres lineup.

In 8 games this season, Tuch has tallied 3 goals and 5 assists.

In his last 5 games, Tuch has been hard to keep off the scoresheet. His offensive presence has led to 5 points (2 goals, 3 assists) in those last 5 aforementioned games.

While Buffalo as a whole might be struggling to find scoring at times, Tuch has been a constant through his short-stint with the Sabres.

3. Returning to Buffalo

For the first time since being traded last offseason to the Philadelphia Flyers, much-maligned defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen returns to Buffalo.

In 542 career games with the Buffalo Sabres, Ristolainen tallied 245 points (46 goals, 199 assists).

While expectations ultimately got the best of Ristolainen, there is no doubt that his presence represents a look into the Sabres past.

Projected Lineups

Buffalo Sabres

Due to injury, lineup is TBD.

Philadelphia Flyers

Forwards

Oskar Lindblom - Claude Giroux - Cam Atkinson

Wade Allison - Scott Laughton - Travis Konecny

James van Riemsdyk - Morgan Frost - Gerry Mayhew

Max Willman - Jackson Coates - Zack MacEwen

Defense

Ivan Provorov - Justin Braun

Cam York - Travis Sanheim

Keith Yandle - Rasmus Ristolainen

Starter: Carter Hartbu