x

Already member? Login first!

Comments / New

Game #44 Preview & Open Thread: Sabres vs. Hurricanes

Feb 25, 2024; Buffalo, New York, USA; Carolina Hurricanes center Seth Jarvis (24) skates up ice with the puck during the first period against the Buffalo Sabres at KeyBank Center. Mandatory Credit: Timothy T. Ludwig-USA TODAY Sports

There’s a Storm Coming

Buffalo Sabres (16-22-5) vs. Carolina Hurricanes (26-15-3)

Puck Drop: 6:00 PM EST | Keybank Center | Buffalo, N.Y.

TV: TNT, truTV, MAX

Know Your Opponent

Carolina Hurricanes

Record: 26-15-3 | 55 PTS

Last Game: 3-2 OT loss to the Ducks

Division Ranking: 3rd in the Metropolitan

PP: 22.8% 13th (Sabres: 17.7% 26th)

PK: 85.0% 1st (Sabres: 78.4% 20th)

What to Watch

Note the odd start time of 6pm!

1. Here I Am, Rock Me Like a Hurricane

After being “gobbled up” by the Kraken in another shameful performance, the Sabres have reemerged on the surface. Just in time for a Category 3 Carolina Hurricane. The Canes come to town after a surprising OT loss to Anaheim. But overall the team has been playing well this season. They are keeping pace with the New Jersey Devils as both teams look up at the Washington Capitals in first place. Carolina is led by (I won’t play for Buffalo) Martin Necas. He leads the team with 50 points in 44 games. Necas has more assists than any Sabre has points. (Tage Thompson, 34) Meanwhile, Sebastian Aho, Andrei Svechnikov and Seth Jarvis also round out a balanced offense. The Canes have been a consistent winner in the Eastern Conference for many years now. Ten straight seasons without a losing record, including three straight 50+ win campaigns. They are on pace to make it four right now.

In the past seven seasons, Buffalo has a pitiful 3-15-1 record against Carolina. But those 3 wins did come at home at least over the past 3 seasons. The Hurricanes record on the road this year has been their weak link though, going 9-10-2 so far. So hey, a glimmer of hope? The Sabres will need to play up to the competition in this one. Only one good period sunk the Sabres against Seattle. They will need much more than that to weather the storm against Carolina.

2. No Way To Play

“We’ve seen it too many times this year where we give up one and it’s just a disaster,” Sabres center Dylan Cozens said. “And then they get another and then another. I don’t know why it keeps happening, but we’ve got to figure it out and find a way to not let that happen.” With a quote like that, it seems the colossal collapses the team keeps enduring is officially in their heads. When you are worried about losing the lead and making mistakes, you usually do just that. They have to relax, play their game and stick to it. For every damn period they play until they earn those wins that keep eluding them. It will only come with a complete team effort and limiting their mistakes. And when a mistake is made, play that next shift like it’s your last. Take that momentum back and play like men. Professional hockey playing men.

The top line of Thompson, Cozens and Zucker was especially bad against Seattle. Not much play driving from this trio and each player finished the game -4. Dylan was mostly ineffective and Tage seemed to fumble away the puck half the night. The illnesses and injuries that Buffalo has been dealing with has not helped either. No matter who is out there for the Sabres though, the fear of impending disaster looms over them right now. Either this team eventually grows up and works through it or other players need to be brought in soon. It will probably take a combination of both.

3. Rest and Regroup

The Sabres are coming off three days rest as they try and put another meltdown behind them. Eventually a leader or two should emerge out of this hell hole, right? Or do we even have one? Other teams outside the playoff picture still have team leaders. We seem to be void of one. At least some reinforcements should be coming back for Buffalo. Beck Malenstyn has been practicing for several days now and seems ready to return from his illness. Mattias Samuelsson has been back on the ice too and he is a possible return. “There’s no reason he can’t be a possibility, I don’t think,” said Sabres coach Lindy Ruff. Meanwhile, forward Juri Kulich remains out for a few more weeks at least with his lower body injury. Winger Jordan Greenway looks to be 4-6 weeks away after his surgery.

Watch out for the old man Jordan Staal for the Canes. The 36 year old has 5 goals and 8 points in his last 5 contests. The Sabres and their lowly power play will be facing Carolina’s number one PK unit in the league. The Hurricanes are clicking at an even 85 percent kill rate. They are also one of the top face-off teams in the NHL. Buffalo certainly has their work cut out for them.

Projected Lineups

Buffalo Sabres

Forwards:

Zucker – Cozens – Thompson

Peterka – McLeod – Tuch

Benson – Krebs – Quinn

Malenstyn – Kozak – Lafferty

Defense:

Dahlin – Byram

Power – Jokiharju

Bryson/Samuelsson– Clifton

Goalies: 

Luukkonen, Reimer

Carolina Hurricanes

Forwards:

Roslovic – Aho – Jarvis

50 – Kotkaniemi – Necas

Svechnikov – Staal – Martinook

Jaaska – Drury – Blake

Defense:

Slavin – Burns

Orlov – Chatfield

Gostisbehere – Walker

Goalies: 

Kochetkov, Tokarski

Talking Points