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: 8^th in the Central Division

PP: 15^th (25%)

PK: 31^st (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 2^nd 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