Game 17

Buffalo Sabres (7-7-2) vs. New York Rangers (10-4-3)

Puck Drop: 6:00 PM EST | Madison Square Garden | New York, New York

TV: MSG

Radio: WGR 550

SB Nation Rangers Blog: Blueshirt Banter

Know Your Opponent

New York Rangers

Record: 10-4-3 | 23 PTS

Division Ranking: 3rd in the Metropolitan Division

PP: 14th (19.6%)

PK: 22nd (78.0%)

What to Watch

A Statistically Similar Matchup

Statistically speaking, the Rangers and Sabres are performing at similar rates. We both score about the same, get scored on about the same, shoot and and get shot on the same and even perform about the same at special teams. Both teams have received some stellar goalie peformances, so we’ll see if that continues tonight. One major difference, in our last ten games, the Sabres are a rough 3-6-1. The Rangers on the other hand, are 6-2-2.

Not Much Change in Sabreland

Feels a bit same-y for us for quite some time. The boys that have been injured, are still injured. The days of lineup changes do not seem upon us. Henri’s close, Victor, Casey and Craig are in some cryo-chamber as we await their return. Can we squeeze another point with a depleted lineup? Please let Tokarski be starting.

What Else To Say?

After the Bills finish around 4 and the mid-day slate of NFL games is upon you, why not watch the hometown boys? Are you really going to think about watching broken fingered Russ Wilson and Colt McCoy? Come on. Ok, the Chiefs and Cowboys could be a good game. Maybe over by halftime.

Smitty’s got nothin’ else for ya. Let’s go, I’m starting to miss my boy Casey.

Projected Lineups

Buffalo Sabres

Forwards

Jeff Skinner - Tage Thompson - Rasmus Asplund

Drake Caggiula - Dylan Cozens - Vinnie Hinostroza

Zemgus Girgensons - Cody Eakin - Kyle Okposo

Anders Bjork - Arttu Ruotsalainen - John Hayden

Defense

Rasmus Dahlin - Mark Pysyk

Jacob Bryson - Colin Miller

Robert Hagg - Will Butcher

Starting Goaltender: Dustin Tokarski (expected)

Rangers

Forwards

Chris Kreider - Mike Zibanejad - Barclay Goodrow

Artemi Panarin - Ryan Strome - Kaapo Kakko

Alexis Lafreniere - Filip Chytil - Julien Gauthier

Dryden Hunt - Kevin Rooney - Ryan Reaves

Defense

Ryan Lindgren - Adam Fox

K’Andre Miller - Jacob Trouba

Patrik Nemeth - Nils Lundkvist

Starting Goaltender: Igor Shesterkin (Expected)