Let’s bank some wins now
Buffalo Sabres (5-4-3) vs Utah Mammoth (8-4-0)
Puck Drop: 7:00 pm Eastern Time | Keybank Center | Buffalo, New York
TV: MSG, ESPN+
Radio: WGR 550
Know Your Opponent
Utah Mammoth
Record: 8-4-0 | 16 PTS
Last Game: 4-2 defeat at home against Tampa Bay Lightning
Division Ranking: 3rd, Central
PP: 17th, 19.5% (8/41 opps) [Sabres: 15th, 20% (8/40 opps)]
PK: 23rd, 75% (27/36 killed) [Sabres: Tied 1st, 90.5% (38/42 killed)]
What to Watch
1. Home Comforts
The Sabres have played 8 times at home so far and have picked up a 5-2-1 record. They are yet to record a win on the road, but are on a six-game point streak with nine points in that spell.
With two more home games on tap this week, picking up the maximum will help until they get their road game sorted out.
2. Touching Distance
The Atlantic Division remains wide open. Five points separates first from last, and Buffalo might be tied bottom of the division at 13pts, but 3rd in the division is only one point ahead. Interestingly, the Metropolitan Division is in an identical situation, with exactly the same division leading, 3rd place and the bottom point totals all the same (as of Monday evening).
One assumes eventually things will start shaking out, but the Sabres staying in touching distance of the division leaders early on could be critical for this young team who have folded when under pressure in recent years.
3. Long Line At The Urgent Care
The Sabres injury situation continues to worsen. We’re going to be down to Noah Östlund and Konsta Helenius as the last possibly viable forward call-ups from the Amerks with now Jason Zucker, Jiri Kulich and Zach Benson missing practice yesterday and Jacob Bryson filling in as a forward.
4. Welcome Utah Mammoth
A bonus thought – this will be the first time the Utah Mammoth play in Buffalo, as the Utah Mammoth. Last season they were still under the temporary moniker Utah Hockey Club, and spanked the Sabres handily too 5-2 both at home and on the road. Time to correct that.
5. Oh Hello John-Jason
Second bonus thought – this is the first time the Sabres are coming up against former forward JJ Peterka. A significant portion of the fanbase was extremely unhappy about the budding star being traded away, but Josh Doan has not only fit right in, but is imprinting his work ethic and scoring goals. Michael Kesselring to a large extent is settling in well, and the defense looks to be slowly solidifying.
You know Peterka is going to be extra motivated to get a goal or more tonight, especially after receiving some fans’ ire when reports came out that he had wanted out of Buffalo. He’s started well, and is fifth in scoring for Utah with 4G and 6A. That total would put him at joint second on the Sabres, by the way. Mammoth have scored five more goals than Buffalo, for the record.
Projected Lineups
Buffalo Sabres
Forwards
Jordan Greenway – Tage Thompson – Jack Quinn
Josh Doan – Ryan McLeod – Alex Tuch
Noah Ostlund – Peyton Krebs – Isak Rosen
Mason Geertsen – Josh Dunne – Beck Malenstyn
Defense
Mattias Samuelsson – Rasmus Dahlin
Owen Power – Conor Timmins
Bowen Byram – Michael Kesselring
Goalies: Alex Lyon (confirmed starter), Ukko Pekka Luukkonen
Utah Mammoth
Forwards
Clayton Keller – Barrett Hayton – Nick Schmaltz
JJ Peterka – Logan Cooley – Dylan Guenther
Lawson Crouse – Jack McBain – Michael Carcone
Brandon Tanev – Kevin Stenlund – Kailer Yamamoto
Defense
Mikhail Sergachev – Dmitri Simashev
Nate Schmidt – John Marino
Ian Cole – Olli Maatta
Goalies: Karel Vejmelka (projected starter), Vitek Vanecek