Buffalo Sabres (24-27-5) vs. Carolina Hurricanes (33-21-4)
Puck Drop: 7:00 PM EST | Lenovo Center | Raleigh, NC
TV: MSG-B, MSG+
Radio: WGR 550
Know Your Opponent
Carolina Hurricanes
Record: 33-21-4 | 70 PTS
Division Ranking: 2nd in the Metropolitan
Last Game: 4-0 loss to Montreal
PP: 19.4% (24th) – (Sabres 16.7%, 27th)
PK: 84.3% (2nd) (Sabres 77.5%, 20th)
What to Watch
1. In The Triangle
The friendly confines of the Lenovo Center – formerly known as PNC Arena – won’t be so friendly for the Sabres in Thursday night’s tilt. The Hurricanes have had great success on home ice this season, going 21-6-1. Since the beginning of the calendar year, they’ve won seven of 10 at home and have garnered at least a point in eight of 10.
Comparatively, the Sabres are 9-15-2 on the road this season and have won just two of their last eight away from home. But, altogether, Buffalo has won six of their last seven games, so it’s not all bad. They just need to find ways to take that home-ice spirit and energy and carry it with them to Carolina.
2. Roster Updates
Jason Zucker will be a game-time decision tonight as he continues to deal with the after-effects of blocking a shot the other night. If he can’t go, Sam Lafferty will draw into the lineup.
For the Hurricanes, Tyson Jost is expected to draw back in after being a last-minute scratch on Tuesday. Riley Stillman will come out of the lineup. Also, Jordan Martinook is expected to play in his 700th NHL game.
3. Whalers Night
Tonight is the Hurricanes’ annual “Whalers Night,” where they’ll don the traditional on-ice uniforms and participate in several activations to celebrate the history of the franchise. This will be the ninth time the Canes will wear Hartford’s colors since relocating in 1997.
And hey, if you want to feel old, per the Canes’ game preview: Eight players on Carolina’s roster (Aho, Blake, Jarvis, Jost, Kochetkov, Kotkaniemi, Stillman, and Svechnikov) were born following the Whalers’ relocation. As for the Sabres… well, the majority of the team were born post-May 6, 1997. Only Reimer, Zucker, Lafferty, Clifton, Tuch, Gilbert & Greenway were alive when the Whalers’ move to Carolina was announced.
If you’re wondering what that sound was, don’t worry, it was just my back cracking. Ouch!
Projected Lineups
Buffalo Sabres
Forwards
J.J. Peterka – Jiri Kulich – Tage Thompson
Jason Zucker (game-time decision) – Ryan McLeod – Alex Tuch
Jordan Greenway – Dylan Cozens – Jack Quinn
Beck Malenstyn – Peyton Krebs – Zach Benson
(Sam Lafferty)
Defense
Bowen Byram – Rasmus Dahlin
Mattias Samuelsson – Owen Power
Dennis Gilbert – Henri Jokiharju
Goaltenders
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen (expected), James Reimer
Carolina Hurricanes
Forwards
Mikko Rantanen – Sebastian Aho – Andrei Svechnikov
Eric Robinson – Jesperi Kotkaniemi – Jack Roslovic
Jordan Martinook – Jordan Staal – Seth Jarvis
Taylor Hall – Tyson Jost – Jackson Blake
Defense
Jaccob Slavin – Brent Burns
Dmitry Orlov – Jalen Chatfield
Shayne Gostisbehere – Sean Walker
Goaltenders
Pyotr Kochetkov (expected), Frederik Anderson