N.Y. Rangers (27-24-4) at Buffalo Sabres (22-27-5)
Puck Drop: 5:30 PM EDT | Keybank Center | Buffalo, N.Y.
TV: MSG-B, ESPN+
Radio: WGR 550
Know Your Opponent
New York Rangers
Record: 27-24-4 | 58 PTS
Division Ranking: 5th in the Metropolitan
Last Game: 4-3 win over Columbus
PP: 20th 20.6% (Sabres 27th 16.7%)
PK: 6th 82.2% (Sabres 19th 78.3%)
What to Watch (Note the early start time of 5:30 pm)
1. Welcome Back Greenway
Winger Jordan Greenway has been back skating and then practicing with the Sabres for nearly three weeks now. He appears ready to go after his surgery sidelined him since mid December. His return is slightly ahead of schedule. “Right now all plans are that he’s ready to go,” coach Lindy Ruff said following Tuesday’s practice, the team’s first after the break. His solid defensive game and steady presence with be a welcome addition to the lineup. Also returning with be forward Beck Malenstyn, sidelined with back spasms since Feb. 2nd. Having both players back will be a nice boost to the bottom six. Mattias Samuelsson, after breaking a bone in his foot, is also slotted to return against New York. Sammy was sidelined in the same game as the Tage Thompson injury incident. The team’s lack of response drew the ire of Coach Ruff, Samuelsson especially. It seems Lindy’s displeasure is short lived though as Buffalo’s defender will return today. Or maybe not, judging by Sammy’s forth pairing in practice on Friday. We shall see.
2. Give it All You Got
With a seemingly full and healthy lineup, it will be interesting to see what this team can put forth in the final 1/3 of the season. Clearly all the pieces are not here yet to be a playoff caliber team. But some surely are. We need them and every player still here to lay it all out there, to be at their very best. Winning hockey games should be a priority, as well as our struggling players bouncing back. Evaluation from management will be happening as well, so the team identifies which core players they are moving forth with. Then again, management itself should be facing evaluation too at seasons end.
I would like to see the Sabres win at least 15 of the remaining 27 games. 15-10-2 is not too much to ask after the disappointment of this season. That record to close things out gets them on track as a team and establishes a winning mindset. It also gets them to the NHL .500 mark. A little mojo for the players going into next season. The last thing they need is to bottom out and go into the summer clinging to the losing culture. Show us what you got. Finish strong and leave the fans wanting more. The SABRES should be hungry to play more games when the season ends. Let us hope that is the case.
Hot or Not
Rasmus Dahlin (1-7) and Tage Thompson (4-4) and Alex Tuch (3-5) all have 8 points in their last 5 games. The three of them are playing pretty great hockey right now. JJ Peterka (4-2) has 6 points in his last 5 games but none in his last 2. Most of that success (4 points) was in one game against Boston. Bowen Byram is also scoring at a strong pace lately, with 2 goals and 4 assists in his last 5. Elsewhere, Jason Zucker (2-3) and Ryan McLeod (2-2) are chipping in at a good clip too.
Players we would like to see more from offensively include Dylan Cozens (1-2) in his last 5 and Jack Quinn (0-2) in that same time span. Peyton Krebs is scoreless over his last 5 contests but at least his plus/minus is even. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen has given up 16 goals in his last 5 games with an unsavory save percentage. His below average play is more impactful on the team though than the others. Buffalo needs UPL playing at a higher level down the stretch.
For the Rangers, Mika Zibanejad (2-6) has 8 points in his last 5 games. Vincent Trocheck has 2 goals and 3 assists over that same period. New York looks to have Igor Shesterkin in the lineup as well after his injury. His recovery time lined up perfectly with the 4 Nations tournament. He practiced with the Rangers starting on Wednesday at the MSG Training Center, and when asked if he’ll be ready to go when the season resumes Saturday, he responded, “Of course.”
Projected Lineups
Buffalo Sabres
Forwards
J.J. Peterka – Jiri Kulich – Tage Thompson
Jason Zucker – Ryan McLeod – Alex Tuch
Jordan Greenway – Dylan Cozens – Jack Quinn
Beck Malenstyn – Peyton Krebs – Zach Benson
(Sam Lafferty)
Defense
Bowen Byram – Rasmus Dahlin
Owen Power – Connor Clifton
Mattias Samuelsson? – Henri Jokiharju
(Jacob Bryson, Dennis Gilbert)
Goaltenders
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen (expected), James Reimer
New York Rangers
Forwards
Artemi Panarin – J.T. Miller – Alexis Lafreniere
Will Cuylle – Vincent Trochek – Jimmy Vesey
Chris Kreider – Mika Zibanejad – Arthur Kaliyev
Reilly Smith – Sam Carrick – Matt Rempe
Defense
Ryan Lindgren – Adam Fox
K’Andre Miller – Will Borgen
Urho Vaakanainen – Brandon Schneider
Goaltenders
Igor Shesterkin (expected), Jonathan Quick