Buffalo hosts Florida in Saturday Matinee
Florida Panthers (3-3-0) vs. Buffalo Sabres (1-3-0)
Puck Drop: 1:00 PM EST | KeyBank Center | Buffalo, NY
TV: MSG-B
Know Your Opponent
Florida Panthers
Record: 3-3-0 | 6 PTS
Last Game: 4-1 Loss vs. New Jersey Devils
Division Ranking: 5th in Atlantic Division
PP: 4th (31.6%)
PK: T4th (93.3%)
What to Watch:
1. Take Advantage
The Panthers started the season the opposite of the Sabres: looking strong with a three-game winning streak. However, they find themselves starting a new season in a tough spot with some significant injuries. The defending Stanley Cup champions are without two of their best players – and perhaps two of the top players in the league – in forwards Matthew Tkachuk and Aleksander Barkov. Tkachuk will miss a few months due to a torn adductor muscle while Barkov will miss a majority if not the entire regular season with a knee injury. While you never want a player to suffer any kind of injury, the Sabres should use this to their advantage as they face a tough team with some notable offensive absences.
2. Momentum
Similar to the aforementioned point, Buffalo should use Wednesday’s big win over the Senators as momentum against this very talented team. Though they started 0-3 with, let’s face it, an embarrassing offensive effort, the Sabres should carry their newfound scoring ability into today’s game. Their eight (!) goals that they scored last game were pretty impressive as fans might have gained just the smallest glimmer of hope that they can keep moving in the right direction now that the proverbial monkey on their backs has departed.
3. New Guy in Town
On Thursday evening, it was reported that Ryan Johnson was sent down to Rochester and, in his place, righthanded defenseman Zach Metsa was summoned to join the Sabres’ lineup – his first NHL recall after playing with the Americans for two seasons. Last season, he tallied 46 points in 69 games and was a +15. He was signed as a free agent back in July, and, at the start of this season, Metsa was named Rochester’s captain. The Wisconsin native seems to have potential, so it could be fun to watch a new face join the team and hopefully help keep the Sabres afloat. He may be on the ice against Florida, but not if Mattias Samuelsson returns following his injury from October 11th.
Projected Lineups
Buffalo Sabres
Forwards
Zach Benson – Jiri Kulich – Tage Thompson
Josh Doan – Ryan McLeod – Alex Tuch
Jason Zucker – Peyton Krebs – Jack Quinn
Josh Dunne – Tyson Kozak – Beck Malenstyn
Defense
Bowen Byram – Rasmus Dahlin
Owen Power – Conor Timmins
Mattias Samuelsson/Zach Metsa – Jacob Bryson
Goaltenders: Alex Lyon (expected), Colten Ellis
Florida Panthers
Forwards
Mackie Samoskevich – Sam Bennett – Brad Marchand
Eetu Luostarinen – Anton Lundell – Sam Reinhart
Carter Verhaeghe – Evan Rodrigues – Jesper Boqvist
A.J. Greer – Luke Kunin – Jonah Gadjovich
Defense
Gustav Forsling – Aaron Ekblad
Niko Mikkola – Seth Jones
Uvis Balinskis – Jeff Petry
Goaltenders: Sergei Bobrovsky (expected), Daniil Tarasov