Game 2
Buffalo Sabres (1-0-0) vs. Arizona Coyotes (0-1-0)
Puck Drop: 1:00 PM ET | KeyBank Center | Buffalo, NY
TV: MSG-B
Radio: WGR 550
SB Nation Coyotes Blog: Five For Howling
Know Your Opponent
Arizona Coyotes
Record: 0-1-0
Last game: 8-2 loss vs. Columbus
Division Ranking: 8th in the Central Division
PP: 15th (25%)
PK: 31st (33.3%)
What to Watch
1. The East Meets the West
The Buffalo Sabres and Arizona Coyotes meet for the first time since Feb. 29, 2020 in today’s game. The 2020 pandemic season and the NHL’s realigned divisions that kept eastern and western teams from competing with each other is gone. The Sabres are coming off a solid season-opening win against the Habs and getting to play western franchises like Arizona instead of East Coast hockey dynasties like the Bruins, Caps, Pens and Lightning is a welcome diversion.
2. Hockey During Daylight Hours
Today’s Saturday afternoon matinee matchup is the second Sabres home game this month and the only 1 o’clock meeting in October. 1pm isn’t too early to drink a beer (or another beverage) and watch the Blue and Gold try to add to their point total.
3. Arizona’s Season Opening Defeat
The Coyotes opened their season with an 8-2 crushing loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets. Anton Stralman scored one goal for Arizona in the 2nd period and Clayton Keller got a late power play goal in the 3rd, but it was too little, too late. Elvis Merzlikins stopped 36 of 38 shots.
Arizona is hoping to get a win after their disastrous season opener. The Coyotes did beat Buffalo 5-2 the last time the two teams met, but a lot of time has passed and the Sabres are energized after their first victory.
For more on the Arizona Coyotes and how they’re looking heading into the 2021-22 season, please read Jon Lane’s team review on NHL.com.
Projected Lineup
Buffalo Sabres
Forwards
Jeff Skinner – Dylan Cozens – Vinnie Hinostroza
Rasmus Asplund – Tage Thompson – Victor Olofsson
Anders Bjork – Arttu Ruotsalainen – Drake Caggiula
Zemgus Girgensons – Cody Eakin – Kyle Okposo
Defensemen
Rasmus Dahlin – Will Butcher
Robert Hagg – Mark Pysyk
Jacob Bryson – Colin Miller
Starting Goalie: Craig Anderson
Arizona Coyotes
Forwards
Lawson Crouse – Nick Schmaltz – Clayton Keller
Andrew Ladd – Christian Fischer – Phil Kessel
Loui Eriksson – Johan Larsson – Ryan Dzingel
Antoine Roussel – Jay Beagle – Dmitri Jaskin
Defense
Connor Timmins – Jakob Chychrun
Anton Stralman – Shayne Gostisbehere
Ilya Lyubushkin – Victor Soderstrom
Starting Goalie: Carter Hutton