Game #53
Buffalo Sabres (21-26-5) vs. Columbus Blue Jackets (26-20-7)
Puck Drop: 7:00 PM ET | KeyBank Center | Buffalo NY
TV: MSG-B
Know Your Opponent
Columbus Blue Jackets
Record: 26-20-7 | 59 PTS
Last Game: 5-3 Loss vs. Dallas Stars
Division Ranking: 4th in Metropolitan Division
PP: 15th (22%)
PK: 26th (74.8%)
What to Watch
1. Momentum
The Sabres have found a groove in their last few matchups as they have earned a three-game win streak and are 5-5-0 in their last ten. This may not seem overly impressive until you think back to the abysmal losing streak they endured earlier this season. It will be interesting and also a fun surprise if the team can keep the momentum moving in this positive direction.
2. Stop Being a Pushover
For too many years, the Sabres have been a soft team that does not stick up for themselves or their teammates, to put it bluntly. How could anyone forget when Milan Lucic ran over Ryan Miller back in the day and the team failed to respond? Unfortunately, fans felt a bit of deja vu on Sunday when Buffalo hosted New Jersey. Tage Thompson – leading scorer and one of the few superstars on the Sabres – was elbowed in the head by Devils forward Stefan Noesen. The hit was late and not one of TNT’s teammates reacted in a way that sent a message about protection and grit. At this point, after the length of time the team has missed the playoffs, the fans would like to see – at the very least – some signs that the team cares about each other. They should be willing to have it out with the opposition if something does not sit well on the ice. Though Buffalo is playing a different team tonight, they need to come out with a chip on their shoulder. This whole getting-pushed-around bit is getting old. And, because historically we have trouble beating Columbus, it is all the more reason to come out hard on home ice for what could be their fourth consecutive win.
3. Who’s Hot?
Defenseman Rasmus Dahlin has tallied an impressive 20 assists in the last 18 games. If he records an assist in tonight’s game, he will be on a four-game streak for the second time this season. Thompson, of course, will be another player to keep an eye on tonight. Yesterday, he earned NHL’s Second Star of the Week after a solid showing last week. The forward was a plus-nine with eight even-strength points earned.
Projected Lineups
Buffalo Sabres
Forwards
JJ Peterka – Jiri Kulich – Isak Rosen
Jason Zucker – Dylan Cozens – Alex Tuch
Zach Benson – Ryan McLeod – Jack Quinn
Beck Malenstyn – Peyton Krebs – Sam Lafferty
Defense
Bowen Byram – Rasmus Dahlin
Owen Power – Connor Clifton
Jacob Bryson – Henri Jokiharju
Goaltenders: Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen (expected), James Reimer
Columbus Blue Jackets
Forwards
Dmitri Voronkov – Adam Fantilli – Kirill Marchenko
James van Riemsdyk – Cole Sillinger – Kent Johnson
Zach Aston-Reese – Luca Del Bel Belluz – Mathieu Olivier
Mikael Pyyhtia – Sean Kuraly – Justin Danforth
Defense
Zach Werenski – Dante Fabbro*
Denton Mateychuk – Ivan Provorov
Jake Christiansen – Damon Severson
*Fabbro has an upper-body injury. If he is not ready for tonight’s matchup, either Jordan Harris or Jack Johnson will find themselves in the lineup instead.
Goaltenders: Daniil Tarasov, Elvis Merzlikins (expected)