It’s been more than two years since the Buffalo Sabres and Los Angeles Kings last played, but tonight the Sabres travel to the Staples Center looking for their first winning streak of the season, while the 9-6-0 Kings are coming off of a loss to Nashville.
Tonight marks the first time that Robyn Regehr will face his old team sine being traded out west at the deadline last year. Regehr helps anchor a steady, veteran LA blue line, which contrasts nicely with the Sabres inconsistent but promising youngsters on defense.
The Sabres should be looking to improve on the team’s play from Tuesday; even though they won the game, they were badly outshot yet again by San Jose. Life won’t get any easier facing the Kings, who are third in the league in Fenwick %, which helps measure puck possession. The Sabres will need to step their game up at both ends of the ice for the impossible dream of a two-game winning streak to become a reality.
Game #18
Buffalo Sabres (3-13-1) at Los Angeles Kings (9-6-0)
Puck Drop – 10:30pm EST – Staples Center – Los Angeles, CA
TV – MSG, Bell TV, FS-W | Radio – WGR 550-AM
SBNation Kings Blog – Jewels From The Crown
Three Questions
1. Can Drew Stafford and Tyler Ennis continue to score?
Two goals through 17 games is not what the Sabres expected from two players who are supposed to be anchoring both the team’s second line and first power play unit. However, both scored against San Jose, and the Sabres will have to hope that those goals might spark a hot streak from their slumping forwards. Hey, Cody McCormick can’t be expected to do all the scoring, you know?
2. How will the defensive zone coverage look?
In case you haven’t seen this amazing photo yet, the Sabres have a tendency to chase puck carriers all over the ice while leaving one or two players wide open in front of the net. Can the team be a bit more calm in their own end tonight, and would it kill you to spread out a bit?
3. Will the Sabres finally get two wins in a row?
It’s gotta happen one of these days, right?
Projected BUF Lines
Matt Moulson – Cody Hodgson – Tyler Ennis
Steve Ott – Mikhail Grigorenko – Corey Tropp / Marcus Foligno
Zemgus Girgensons – Johan Larsson – Brian Flynn
Ville Leino – Cody McCormick – Drew Stafford
Christian Ehrhoff – Mark Pysyk
Henrik Tallinder – Tyler Myers
Jamie McBain – Rasmus Ristolainen
Nikita Zadorov – John Scott
Goal: Ryan Miller
Scratches/Injuries/Suspensions: Scott, Kaleta, Weber, Tallinder
Projected LAK Lines
King-Kopitar-Williams
Carcillo-Richards-Toffoli
Brown-Stoll-Lewis
Clifford-Vey-Frattin
Muzzin-Doughty
Regehr-Voynov
Mitchell-Greene
Goal: Quick
Courtesy of Jewels From The Crown
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