Game 36
Buffalo Sabres (18-15-2) vs. Washington Capitals (21-13-5)
Puck Drop: 7:00 PM EST | Capital One Arena | Washington, DC
TV: MSG
Radio: WGR 550
SB Nation Caps blog: Japers’ Rink
Know Your Opponent
Washington Capitals
Record: (21-13-5)
Last Game: 9-2 win over Montreal
Division Ranking: 3rd in Metropolitan Division
PP: 21.9% (17th)
PK: 81.3% (11th)
What to Watch
1. It’s Hard to Think About Hockey Right Now.
I think I speak for many people from Buffalo when I say that it’s really hard to think about hockey, or any sport, right now. The weight of what happened Monday night in Cincinnati to Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin is on everyone’s mind, and without much update on his condition, it’s been incredibly challenging to think about doing any normal tasks today.
No doubt, it’s also weighing on the minds of the Sabres – as human beings, first and foremost, but also as (mostly young) professional athletes. The Sabres did hold a morning skate ahead of tonight’s game, but neither Don Granato nor any players spoke to the media. (This is not at all surprising and is completely understandable, given the gravity of the situation.)
There’s nothing much that can be said right now by any one of us to make the situation any better, or less heavy. Thoughts and prayers are with Damar and his family. If you feel so inclined, you can make a donation to his charity here.
2. Other Notes
I’m going to be totally honest with you here: it feels genuinely weird writing this, thinking about a sporting event in the wake of everything. How can we just… go about our lives? How can we just watch a hockey game right now?
If you need someone to talk to, consider calling the 24-hour crisis hotline at 716-834-3131.
Here are a few notes ahead of tonight’s game:
- Alex Ovechkin leads the Capitals with 45 points in 39 games this season, including 26 goals. Evgeny Kuznetsov is second on the team with 33 points – 27 of which are assists.
- T.J. Oshie had been sidelined with an upper-body injury, but it looks like he could make his return Tuesday night.
- The Capitals are 8-1-1 in their last 10 games. The Sabres are 7-2-1.
- With 3.91 average goals-for per game, the Sabres lead the NHL./
Projected Lineups
Buffalo Sabres
Forwards
Jeff Skinner – Tage Thompson – Alex Tuch
JJ Peterka – Dylan Cozens – Jack Quinn
Casey Mittelstadt – Tyson Jost – Victor Olofsson
Kyle Okposo – Peyton Krebs – Zemgus Girgensons
Defense
Mattias Samuelsson – Rasmus Dahlin
Owen Power – Kale Clague
Jacob Bryson – Ilya Lyubushkin
Goaltenders: Craig Anderson, Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen (starter)
Scratches: Vinnie Hinostroza, Rasmus Asplund
Injuries: Eric Comrie, Henri Jokiharju
Washington Capitals
Forwards
Alex Ovechkin – Dylan Strome – Conor Sheary
Sonny Milano – Evgeny Kuznetsov – Anthony Mantha
Marcus Johansson – Lars Eller – T.J. Oshie
Aliaksei Protas – Nic Dowd – Garnet Hathway
Defense
Erik Gustafsson – Trevor van Riemsdyk
Dmitry Orlov – Nick Jensen
Martin Fehervary – Matt Irwin
Goaltenders: Darcy Kuemper, Charlie Lindgren
Injuries: Nicklas Backstrom, Carl Hagelin, Tom Wilson, Connor Brown, John Carlson