Buffalo return to KBC for five-game homestand
Buffalo Sabres (23-15-4) vs Anaheim Ducks (21-20-3)
Puck Drop: 7:00 pm ET | KeyBank Center, Buffalo NY
TV: MSG, ESPN+
Radio: WGR 550
Know Your Opponent
Anaheim Ducks
Record: 21-20-3 | 45 PTS
Last Game: 5-2 loss against Carolina Hurricanes
Division Ranking: 6th, Pacific
PP: 23rd, 17.3% (24/139) [Sabres: 20th, 18.4% (23/125)]
PK: 25th, 76.9% (113/147) [Sabres: 2nd, 85.2% (98/115)]
What to Watch
1. Just Keep Going
The Sabres bounced back well from their ten-game winning streak ending with a positive couple of games after, beating two bad teams in the Vancouver Canucks and the New York Rangers. They did look to make closing them out exciting with what could have been pivotal double-minors late on in both games, but also showed the fortitude to see both games out.
Now they’re on a two-game run and play their next five at home where they are 13-5-2. It would not be unreasonable to expect them to pick up points and possibly wins in all five.
The Sabres haven’t had much in the way of luck from the out-of-town scoreboard with teams in their vicinity and in front of them also winning against hapless Western Conference opponents. The best they can do is play the games in front of them and keep winning.
2. Ducks Winged
The Ducks have lost four in a row, all their games on their current road trip giving up 5, 7, 5 and 5 goals in each of those defeats. They are also 1-8-1 in their last ten and their positive start to the season has all but evaporated. It is ironic that the one win in their last ten games is against the Columbus Blue Jackets, and the Sabres’ one defeat in their last ten games is against.. the very same Columbus Blue Jackets.
In the last five games, Troy Terry leads the Ducks with four points but is out injured. Top liner Beckett Sennecke has three goals and defenseman Jackson Lacombe has four assists in that time.
Both Ducks goalies are struggling, with Lukas Dostal at a 3.22 GAA and .887 save percentage and backup Petr Mrazek at 4.07 and .858; in comparison, Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen is at 2.61 and .903
3. Fans, Over To You
With the Sabres recent resurgence, the fans (who never really left) have been recharged too. The #Sabrehood is making itself heard louder as Buffalo turned into a wagon and went on a streak. KBC hasn’t been this loud and engaged for a few years now, and with this upcoming five-game homestand, it’s a real opportunity for Buffalo to turn up their .700 home points record (10th in the league).
The fans do have a big part to play though in this, making it loud and uncomfortable for opponents in Buffalo.
Projected Lineups
Buffalo Sabres
Forwards
Peyton Krebs – Tage Thompson – Josh Doan
Jason Zucker – Josh Norris – Alex Tuch
Zach Benson – Ryan McLeod – Jack Quinn
Jordan Greenway – Noah Ostlund – Beck Malenstyn
Defense
Mattias Samuelsson – Rasmus Dahlin
Bowen Byram – Owen Power
Jacob Bryson – Zach Metsa
Goalies: Ukko Pekka Luukkonen (projected starter), Colten Ellis
Anaheim Ducks
Forwards
Mikael Granlund – Mason McTavish – Beckett Sennecke
Alex Killorn – Leo Carlsson – Ryan Strome
Chris Kreider – Ryan Poehling – Cutter Gauthier
Ross Johnston – Tim Washe – Jansen Harkins
Defense
Olen Zellweger – Jacob Trouba
Jackson Lacombe – Radko Gudas
Pavel Mintyukov – Drew Helleson
Goalies: Lukas Dostal (projected starter), Ville Husso