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The Sabres try to avoid the sweep against the Bruins tonight

Posted on by Eric Piotrowski

Game 48

Buffalo Sabres (12-28-7) vs. Boston Bruins (27-12-6)

Puck Drop: 7:00 PM EST | KeyBank Center | Buffalo, NY

TV: MSG-B, NESN

Radio: WGR 550

SB Nation Bruins Blog: Stanley Cup Of Chowder

Know Your Opponent

Boston Bruins

Record: 27-12-6

Last 10: 8-2-0

Division Ranking: 4th in the East

PP: 11th (21.0%)

PK: 1th (86.7%)

1. Sabres Debut for UPL

Tonight will be Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen’s first start with the Buffalo Sabres. According to the Sabres, Rasmus Dahlin said, “We’re going to do everything we can to get his first win.”

Tonight is the final game of the three-game series against the Bruins, the last two games Luukkonen backed up Dustin Tokarski to get an up-close look at the NHL.

Luukkonen will be the fifth player to make a Sabres debut this year. Don Granato said he thinks the team is in a much better position than a few weeks ago, so Luukkonen should see a good amount of help defensively.

With Luukkonen expected to start tonight, the Sabres and the Senators will be the only two teams this season to have five goalies play for them.

2. Powerplay Struggles

Throughout this three-game series against the Bruins, the Sabres are 0-11 on the powerplay. Last night they couldn’t capitalize on their 5 powerplay chances. Don Granato said,

“We had five power plays, I believe,” Granato said. “We allowed ourselves to get frustrated partway through the first one. … And then that carried over to maybe squeezing our sticks tight the rest of the way.”

On the up-side, according to the Sabres PR, “Buffalo has not allowed a power-play goal in four consecutive games against the Bruins.

The Sabres have killed 14 straight Boston power-plays dating back to the third period of their game on March 18.”

3. Fan Appreciation Night

Tonight will be fan appreciation night and season ticket holders, as well as non-season ticket holders, can win some prizes throughout the game. The Sabres wrote on their website,

“Season-ticket holders should also keep checking the team’s social media channels – including the exclusive Season-Ticket Holder Facebook group – throughout the day. Random season-ticket holders will be selected to win autographed jerseys.”

Non-season ticket holders still have opportunities to win prizes. Fill out the “Predict The Sabres” on the Sabres app for chances to win team apparel and other small prizes.

Projected Lineup

Buffalo Sabres

Forwards

Jeff Skinner – Sam Reinhart – Victor Olofsson

Rasmus Asplund – Casey Mittelstadt – Tage Thompson

Anders Bjork – Dylan Cozens – Arttu Ruotsalainen

Tobias Rieder – Riley Sheahan – Drake Caggiula

Defensemen

Rasmus Dahlin – Henri Jokiharju

Mattias Samuelsson – Rasmus Ristolainen

Jacob Bryson – William Borgen

Starter: Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen

Boston Bruins

Forwards

Brad Marchand – Patrice Bergeron – David Pastrnak

Taylor Hall – David Krejci – Craig Smith

Nick Ritchie – Charlie Coyle – Jake DeBrusk

Sean Kuraly – Curtis Lazar – Chris Wagner

Defensemen

Mat Grzelcyk – Charlie McAvoy

Mike Reilly – Kevan Miller

Jeremy Lauzon – Steve Kampfer

Starting Goalie

Tukka Rask

Talking Points