Game 40 Preview & Open Thread: Sabres vs. Golden Knights

Buffalo takes on the Evil Empire of the NHL

Buffalo Sabres (14-20-5) at Vegas Golden Knights (26-9-3)

Puck Drop: 10:00 PM EST | T-Mobile Arena | Las Vegas, Nevada

TV: MSG-B, ESPN+

Know Your Opponent

Vegas Golden Knights

Record: 26-9-3 | 55 PTS

Last Game: W 5-2 over Philly

Division Ranking: 1st in the Pacific Division

PP: 8th, 24.7% (Sabres: 25th, 17.7%)

PK: 16th, 80.2% (Sabres: 21st, 77.9%)

What to watch

1. The Empire Strikes First, Strikes Hard, No Mercy Sir!

Here we go with the team that everyone loves to hate, the Vegas Golden Knights. Even more so for Sabres fans for obvious reasons. So why so much disdain for the league’s 2nd youngest hockey club? Well, we will start with the expansion draft, which gifted the team better quality players over expansion teams of the past. Then there is that run to the Stanley Cup finals in their first season. Oh, and seven straight winning seasons since they entered the NHL. (And they are well on their way to making it eight this year) They have made the playoffs every year but one since they entered the league. The Knights are also located in the most non traditional hockey market in the USA, with fans who earned nothing to be gifted such a team. And like some big Vegas high roller, the team buys the best players they can get their hands on. The allure of Sin City and a culture of winning gives Vegas a huge advantage when attracting great players. They don’t develop much from within, rather they trade out the young talent and picks for the biggest fish out there. Top it off with a second appearance in the Finals and a Stanley Cup Championship and there you have it. Vegas has had more success in the NHL in their brief history than half the teams in the league.

2. Hey Jealousy

So is most of that accurate? Yes, I believe so. But my view is also skewered through the eyes of being a lifetime Buffalo Sabres fan. Plus the whole saga of He Who Shall Not Be Named. We see the immense success of a brand new team while we wallow through this epic playoff drought. Much of that success with a player who was supposed to be our savior. Plus 55 years without a Stanley Cup for loyal, hockey crazed fans who deserve better. It just doesn’t seem fair. Meanwhile, Vegas comes in and runs their team like a shrewd business, all business. They have made smart signings and smart acquisitions. They have sound ownership and strong coaching. Did they get an early advantage? Yes, for sure. Is it easier to sell your team and your glamour town to available players being in Vegas? You bet. But the team has done remarkably well for themselves beyond those advantages. They are earning their rewards. Trading away most of their picks and prospects would catch up to most teams. But I’m betting Vegas can probably buy their way out of it and continue a strong level of winning.

The Golden Knights are once again first in the Pacific Division and closing the gap with Winnipeg for best team in the Conference. They are tied for second in the league in goals for and sport an impressive home record of 16-4-0. They also have a balanced defensive corp and solid goaltending. Sooooo what I’m saying is, the Sabres will have their hands full. Thankfully, even through all the losses, Buffalo has kept the final scores mostly close.

3. How Will Buffalo Respond?

The psyche of the Sabres has got to be bad right now. The epic failure in Colorado was a killer. Two monumental collapses to the Avalanche, a 13 game losing streak, and a seeming inability to learn from their mistakes. They play soft and fragile and that will not change for the most part without changes to the lineup. This is once again the hand we were dealt by the team. It appears we will suffer through it for the rest of the season. Hopefully, somewhere in the mess is a few bright spots to shine the way for next year and beyond. We need a few of these players to flip a switch, to finally GET IT and lead the way for others.

Players to watch for Buffalo tonight are Tage Thompson, with 8 points in his last 5 games. Rasmus Dahlin has 8 assists in his last 5 games and Jason Zucker has tallied 6 goals in his last 5. This is the last game of the road trip before the Sabres return home to face Alex Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals.

Projected Lineups

Buffalo

Forwards

Jason Zucker – Dylan Cozens – Tage Thompson
Jack Quinn – Jiri Kulich – Alex Tuch
Zach Benson – Peyton Krebs – JJ Peterka
Beck Malenstyn – Ryan McLeod – Sam Lafferty

Defense

Rasmus Dahlin – Bowen Byram
Mattias Samuelsson – Owen Power
Jacob Bryson – Connor Clifton

Goalies: Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, James Reimer

Vegas

Tanner Pearson – He Who Shall Not Be Named – Mark Stone
Tomas Hertl– William Karlsson– Pavel Dorofeyev
Victor Olofsson – Brett Howden – Keegan Kolesar
Jonas Rondbjerg – Cole Schwindt – Alexander Holtz