Game #13
Buffalo Sabres (6-6-0) at Carolina Hurricanes (7-5-0)
Puck Drop: 7:00 PM | PNC Arena | Raleigh, NC
TV: MSG-B
Radio: WGR 550
Know Your Opponent
Carolina Hurricanes
Record: 7-5-0 | 14 PTS
Division Ranking: 3rd in Metropolitan
Last Game: 4-3 Win vs Islanders
PP: 7th (26.7%)
PK: 18th (76.1%)
What to Watch
1. Exorcise the Demons
It’s no secret the Hurricanes have had the Sabres number in the recent past, particularly at PNC Arena. Buffalo hasn’t secured a win in PNC arena since March of 2016. This includes a current 8 game losing streak in Raleigh. Under Rod Brind’Amour, Carolina plays a strict defensive style combined with an aggressive forecheck. They find success limiting mistakes in their own end and capitalizing on turnovers on offense. The Sabres will need to play a disciplined game on both ends of the ice to avoid playing directly into Carolina’s system. If Buffalo is sloppy in their execution, the Hurricanes will make them pay.
2. Returning to Form
The Hurricanes were delt a serious blow to their Stanley Cup hopes when Andrei Svechnikov tore his ACL last March. He has been their top winger for the last few years and is a player that can take over a game. Despite missing 18 games last year, Svechnikov was 4th on the team in points and 3rd in goals. This season, he has 3 assists in his first 4 games back from injury, but it is only a matter of time before he returns to form. Likely skating on a line with current team point leader Jesperi Kotkaniemi, Svechnikov will have every opportunity to impact tonight’s game. The Buffalo defenders will need to take away time and space from him to limit his opportunities to score.
3. Top Line Johnson
Ryan Johnson made his NHL debut Saturday against the Leafs as one of the 7 defenders Buffalo dressed. He played well in his limited minutes (8:20 TOI) and had a great stretch pass to Skinner for a breakaway goal. It looks as though Granato will give Johnson a chance to showcase his skills on a pair with Dahlin in place of Mattias Samuelsson. While Samuelsson’s defensive awareness and reach provide Dahlin the freedom to attack offensively, Johnson’s elite skating ability could yield a similar effect. Johnson’s edgework allow him to keep a tight gap and suffocate opposing forwards. This feeds into the transition game by preventing entries in the neutral zone or breaking up the cycle in the defensive zone. All eyes will be on this defensive pair tonight. With Samuelsson dealing with ongoing injuries, the Sabres need to find a quality complement to their star defender when Mattias is unavailable.
Projected Lineups
Buffalo Sabres
Forwards
Skinner – Thompson – Tuch
Greenway – Mittelstadt – Peterka
Olofsson – Krebs – Rousek
Girgensons – Jost – Okposo
Defense
R. Johnson – Dahlin
Power – Jokiharju
Clifton – E.Johnson
Starter: Luukkonen
Carolina Hurricanes
Forwards
Nosen – Aho – Jarvis
Svechnikov – Kotkaniemi – Teravainen
Bunting– Drury – Necas
Martinook – Staal – Fast
Defense
Slavin – Burns
Skjei – Chatfield
Orlov– DeAngelo
Starter: Raanta