Game #37
Columbus Blue Jackets (12-18-7) vs. Buffalo Sabres (14-18-4)
Puck Drop: 5:00 PM EST, KeyBank Center
TV: MSG-B, BSOH
Radio: WGR-550
Know Your Opponent
Columbus Blue Jackets
Record: 12-18-7
Last Game: 6-5 win against the Toronto Maple Leafs (OT)
Division Ranking: 8th in the Metropolitan Division
PP: 25th (15.33%)
PK: 13th (80.77%)
What to Watch
1) Blue Jackets Better Record Overall, Recent Games Split
Columbus has the better record against Buffalo, being 24-16-2 overall since 2001. Recently, the two opponents have been even, with each team winning two of the last four matchups.
The Blue Jackets have played better at KeyBank Center than at Nationwide Arena, not losing in downtown Buffalo since Feb. 13, 2020. Sabres players and their fans still feel the sting of losing 9-4 to the Jackets on Dec. 19. Maybe the Blue and Gold can summon the will and energy to get the taste of that defeat out of their mouths.
2) Jost to Make Room for Girgensons
Sabres GM Kevyn Adams put forward Tyson Jost on waivers Thursday to allow Zemgus Girgensons back on the roster. Jost played decently last season, but only had two goals and two assists in 29 games so far in 2023-24.
By comparison, Girgensons appeared in only 20 contests since October but managed an equal number of goals. Is swapping Jost for Girgensons the right move? It’s too early to tell, but the Sabres need to shake something up, sitting as they are near the bottom of the Atlantic Division almost halfway through the season.
3) TNT Returns to the Lineup
After he missed the matchup versus the Boston Bruins for personal reasons, the Sabres activated center Tage Thompson Friday morning. TNT hasn’t blown up anything in a while, enjoying an impressive 47-goal season in 2022-23 but only netting nine goals so far this year.
Fans need No. 72 to get his mojo working again. He’s long overdue for a hot streak and commencing it against a team not much worse than Buffalo in the standings is a good place to start.
4) No Granato Behind the Bench
The Buffalo Sabres announced this morning that, due to illness, head coach Don Granato will not coach the Sabres against the Columbus Blue Jackets. Rochester Amerks head coach Seth Appert will coach the team in today’s game.
Appert led the Amerks to a 13-12-2 record in 28 games. It’ll be interesting to see how he performs at the NHL level.
Projected Lineups
Buffalo Sabres
Forwards
Jeff Skinner – Tage Thompson – Alex Tuch
JJ Peterka – Dylan Cozens -Jack Quinn
Jordan Greenway – Casey Mittelstadt – Zach Benson
Zemgus Girgensons – Peyton Krebs – Kyle Okposo
Defense
Rasmus Dahlin – Mattias Samuelsson
Owen Power – Ryan Johnson
Erik Johnson – Connor Clifton
Goaltenders
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen (likely starter), Devon Levi, Eric Comrie
Columbus Blue Jackets
Forwards
Johnny Gaudreau – Adam Fantilli – Justin Danforth
Yegor Chinakhov – Dmitri Voronkov – Kirill Marchenko
Kent Johnson – Cole Sillinger – Emil Bemstrom
Alexandre Texier – Brendan Gaunce – Jack Roslovic
Defense
Damon Severson – David Jiricek
Ivan Provorov- Andrew Peeke
Jake Bean – Erik Gudbranson
Goaltenders
Daniil Tarasov (likely starter), Elvis Merzlikins, Spencer Martin
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