Buffalo looking to keep streak going
Buffalo Sabres (25-16-4) vs Montreal Canadiens (26-14-7)
Puck Drop: 7:00 pm ET | KeyBank Center, Buffalo NY
TV: MSG, ESPN+
Radio: WGR 550
Know Your Opponent
Montreal Canadiens
Record: 26-14-7 | 59 PTS
Last Game: 3-2 OT loss against Washington Capitals
Division Ranking: 3rd, Atlantic
PP: 12th, 22.4% (30/134) [Sabres: 22nd, 18.5% (25/135)]
PK: 14th, 79.7% (122/153) [Sabres: 4th, 84.6% (104/123)]
What to Watch
1. Pivotal Opponent
The Canadiens sit in third place in the division, just ahead of the Sabres. If Buffalo are to get out of this wildcard merry go round they will have to break into the top three to secure that playoff spot. That starts with reeling in Montreal who they play three times in just over a fortnight.
Montreal beat Buffalo the first time the two sides met this season, but if the Sabres can get the better of them in the next trio of clashes, it will go a long way towards making the postseason. Free agent sensation Alexandre Texier has been rewarded for his form with a new two-year deal, and has eight points in his last five games, and 16 in 25 games.
2. Injury Curse
The Sabres got Tyson Kozak back last night, so of course they had to lose someone. That someone unfortunately is key forward Josh Norris. Norris left the game last night after assisting on Dahlin’s second goal and did not return. Later Lindy Ruff said he took a crosscheck to the ribs and will be evaluated today morning. The former Senator is still on a tear with 17 points in 19 games, the second highest among all Sabres in per-game scoring.
Oh Josh Dunne is also going to be out for 4-6 weeks, because why not.
It does appear that Michael Kesselring has come off injured reserve, so there is a chance he will feature sooner than later which will be a boost for an overworked top four dman core that has been playing mondo minutes recently.
3. Don’t Sleep on Dahlin
Clearly Rasmus Dahlin reads DBTB and has had enough of the slander! After fans appeared frustrated by his lack of offensive output and shaky play in his own defensive zone, the club captain showed his true colors with two man-advantage goals thereby kickstarting a moribund man power play unit and also his scoring production. They were his first goals in ten games, and only his fourth and fifth points in that same spell.
We all know there’s no way he’ll miss the Olympics where he’s been selected to play for Sweden, but depending on where the Sabres in the standings when Milan-Cortina comes around between February 11th-22nd, it wouldn’t be a surprise if Rasmus gets some extra time off to go visit his fiancee Caroline who is still in recovery in Gothenburg.
4. 05-06 Tribute
What a wonderful idea it is to have a tribute to a team that not only defined a scintillating era of hockey for the franchise, but is also responsible for why the Sabres and hockey are loved so much by an entire generation or two of fans as well.
Listen to some of the stories here, and tell us your stories in the comments below too.
That era and specifically that year of Sabres hockey remains indelibly imprinted in our memories because of the incredible hockey and also because of the passion and the voice of Rick Jeanneret. there is not one among us who will ever forget his call on this goal.
In fact, let’s go bigger and better – here are the top clutch goals from the 05-06 season!
Projected Lineups
Buffalo Sabres
Forwards
Zach Benson – Tage Thompson – Alex Tuch
Jason Zucker – Ryan McLeod – Jack Quinn
Noah Ostlund – Peyton Krebs – Josh Doan
Jordan Greenway – Tyson Kozak – Beck Malenstyn
Defense
Mattias Samuelsson – Rasmus Dahlin
Bowen Byram – Michael Kesselring
Owen Power – Zach Metsa
Goalies: Ukko Pekka Luukkonen, Colten Ellis (projected starter)
Montreal Canadiens
Forwards
Cole Caufield – Nick Suzuki – Alexandre Texier
Juraj Slafkovsky – Oliver Kapanen – Ivan Demidov
Zack Bolduc – Phillip Danault – Josh Anderson
Sammy Blais – Joe Veleno – Brendan Gallagher
Defense
Mike Matheson – Noah Dobson
Lane Hutson – Alexandre Carrier
Jayden Struble – Arber Xhekaj
Goalies:
Sam Montembeault, Jacob Fowler (confirmed starter)