Game #38 Preview & Open Thread: Sabres at Blues

Buffalo in line for nine

Buffalo Sabres (19-14-4) vs St Louis Blues (15-16-8)

Puck Drop: 8:00 pm ET | Enterprise Center, St Louis, MO

TV: MSG, ESPN+

Radio: WGR 550

Know Your Opponent

St Louis Blues

Record: 15-16-8 | 38 PTS

Last Game: 3-2 win against Nashville Predators

Division Ranking: 5th, Central

PP: 17th, 18.6% (19/102) [Sabres: 15th, 19.6% (22/112)]

PK: 25th, 76.8% (76/99) [Sabres: 3rd, 84.6% (88/104)]

What to Watch

1. Keep On Rolling Baby

With eight wins on the trot, the Sabres have wiped out their middling start to the season and now are in a position to mount a playoff challenge. It only took about half the season to get there, but hey, it is what it is.

The squad is as closely-knit as it has ever been, and nerves have been replaced by confidence. The next-man-up mentality has appeared to take root with different players stepping up in every game and making contributions.

Whether you credit the former leadership for the roster-building or the new leadership for the accountability, it’s working and it’s impressive to see.

2. Notes on Defense

Nearly two months ago, Rasmus Dahlin had likely his worst game of the season against the Blues in a home defeat that deflated the Sabres as he went -3 and decided to take some time off to tend to his recovering fiancee. The defenseman came back from his sabbatical in Sweden and went on a heater. In the 19 games in that spell, Dahlin leads the team with 19 points (3G, 16A), 6 power play points and 23:56 played a night. The Swede returns to the lineup tonight from a Christmas break with his family – the Blues should be very afraid.

One of the most widespread desserts on Christmas tables in Western New York was humble pie served by none other than Mattias Samuelsson. The turnaround in the dman’s play this season has been as night-and-day as last season was to the preceding season when he got his big contract. He’s just outside the top ten defenseman in the league in PDO, his defensive game has picked up a lot more bite, and he’s scoring more points too with 18 in 35 games, and at a healthy +15 clip.

Owen Power is looking stronger and leads the team’s defensemen in expected goals percentage and shots created percentages as well.

Bowen Byram is shooting at an outlandish 16.33% which will eventually come down, but he’s also at 18 points for the season and making his presence felt all over the ice.

The jury remains out on Michael Kesselring who still appears to be carrying niggles, and Connor Timmins should be back soon we hope. That’s a pretty well-stacked defense corps.

3. Goalies Stepping Up

Sabres goaltenders tend to be a much maligned group. Following in the footsteps of Dominik Hasek and Ryan Miller is no easy task for mere mortals. However, since Colten Ellis’ injury and the Sabres returning to a two-goalie setup, both Alex Lyon and Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen are playing better.

Since Dec 9th when the Sabres started their winning streak, no goalie in the league has more wins than Lyon with six. His 2.25 GAA and .922 save percentage are only surpassed by UPL who has the other two wins, going 1.00 GAA and .959 in that same time.

Funny how the goalies get better when the defense in front of them plays better.

Projected Lineups

Buffalo Sabres

Forwards

Peyton Krebs – Tage Thompson – Josh Doan
Noah Ostlund – Josh Norris – Alex Tuch
Zach Benson – Ryan McLeod – Jack Quinn
Jordan Greenway – Josh Dunne – Beck Malenstyn

Defense

Mattias Samuelsson – Rasmus Dahlin
Owen Power – Michael Kesselring
Bowen Byram – Zach Metsa

Goalies: Alex Lyon (confirmed starter), Ukko Pekka Luukkonen

St Louis Blues