Buffalo Sabres (26-17-5) at Nashville Predators (23-21-4)
Puck Drop: 8:00 PM | Bridgestone Arena | Nashville, TN
TV: MSG-B
Radio: WGR 550
Know Your Opponent
Nashville Predators
Record: 23-21-4 | 50 PTS
Division Ranking: 5th in Central Division
Last Game: 7-2 Loss vs Golden Knights
PP: 16th (20.3%) | Sabres Rank: 20th (19.4%)
PK: 13th (80.1%) | Sabres Rank: 7th (82.6%)
What to Watch
1. Quick Turnaround
Buffalo will have a chance to put their matinee loss to Carolina behind them quickly. The back half of their back-to-back brings them to Nashville to take on the Predators. The Preds had a slow start to the season but have quietly turned the ship around. They have won 5 of their last 6 home games and sit 3 points out of a playoff spot. Buffalo has done well this year on back-to-backs as they have gone 4-1-1 on the second of those games. They will need to keep the trend going against a team that is starting to build some standings momentum.
2. Attack the Net
One weakness Buffalo will look to exploit is the Predators subpar team defense. Nashville averages surrendering 3.35 goals against per game which is 6th worst in the league. Juuse Saros is expected to get the start in net. He may have a winning record bur his 2.94 GAA and .898 save percentage are mediocre at best for an established NHL starter. If the Sabres can generate the same amount of quality chances as they did yesterday, they will likely find themselves more successful than they did against Carolina.
3. Dahlin Heating Up
Rasmus Dahlin has said it himself that he has another level in him. Recently, he has been starting to take his game up a notch. He enters this matchup on a 5-game point streak. He has 3 goals and 3 assists during the streak. With Josh Norris out week-to-week, offense from the backend becomes crucial. If Dahlin can raise his play, Buffalo will be in good shape heading into the Olympic break.
Projected Lineups
Buffalo Sabres
Forwards
Doan – Thompson – Tuch
Zucker – McLeod – Quinn
Benson – Ostlund – Helenius
Greenway – Krebs – Malenstyn
Defense
Samuelsson – Dahlin
Byram – Power
Bryson – Metsa
Starter: Lyon
Nashville Predators
Forwards
Forsberg – O’Reilly – Evangelista
Bunting – Haula – Stamkos
Wood – Svechkov – Marchessault
Schaefer – McCarron – Smith
Defense
Skjei – Josi
Hague – Perbix
Blankenburg – Barron
Starter: Saros