Buffalo will be looking to avoid a letdown after Sunday shenanigans
Buffalo Sabres (39-19-6) vs San Jose Sharks (30-25-6)
Puck Drop: 7:00 pm ET | KeyBank Center, Buffalo, NY
TV: MSG-B, NBCSCA, ESPN+
Radio: WGR 550, Sirius XM (app)
Know Your Opponent
San Jose Sharks
Record: 30-25-6 | 66 PTS
Last Game: 2-1 OT loss against New York Islanders; 3-4-3 in last ten games
Division Ranking: 5th, Pacific
PP: 17th, 19.8% (41/207) [Sabres: 15th, 20.9% (41/196)]
PK: 15th, 78.9% (150/190) [Sabres: 5th, 82.8% (144/174)]
What to Watch
1. Maintain The Level
What a game the Sabres played on Sunday. It was definitely one for the ages, but we should all remember that it is part of history now, just one of 82. Tonight is a new game, a clean new slate if you will, and the Sabres don’t come into this game with any sort of advantage. If anything, they’re probably still physically and mentally sore from that effort and will have to be careful there’s no letdown.
Buffalo has gotten to this point of the season by playing high intensity hockey, and they will have to quickly find those levels again tonight too.
2. Celebrity Watch
What a player Macklin Celebrini is turning out to be. Still only 19, the 2024 NHL Draft 1st overall pick has already picked up 32 goals and 57 assists in just 61 games, and can quickly take over games if not carefully marshaled.
The Sharks are in the thick of the wildcard battle in the Western Conference and are on their first stop of a five-game road trip – they will be looking to start this game with a bang, and will be no easy proposition.
3. Home Comforts
Buffalo have the fifth-best home record in the league, winning their last three at home and six out of the last ten at KeyBank Center. The crowd was raucous on Sunday night and though we wouldn’t expect the same noise level tonight, a good start to the game will certainly set the atmosphere for the night.
The Sharks have struggled on the road, only the 23rd best record in the league. San Jose has lost their last four away games, and are 4-5-1 in their last ten road games.
Projected Lineups
Buffalo Sabres
Forwards
Peyton Krebs – Tage Thompson – Alex Tuch
Jason Zucker – Ryan McLeod – Jack Quinn
Noah Ostlund – Josh Norris – Josh Doan
Zach Benson – Sam Carrick – Beck Malenstyn
Defense
Mattias Samuelsson – Rasmus Dahlin
Bowen Byram – Owen Power
Zach Metsa – Michael Kesselring
Goaltenders
Alex Lyon (projected starter), Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen
San Jose Sharks
Forwards
Collin Graf – Macklin Celebrini – Will Smith
William Eklund – Michael Misa – Tyler Toffoli
Philipp Kurashev – Alexander Wennberg – Kiefer Sherwood
Barclay Goodrow – Zack Ostapchuk – Adam Gaudette
Defense
Dmitry Orlov – John Klingberg
Mario Ferraro – Shakir Mukhamadullin
Sam Dickinson – Vincent Desharnais
Goaltenders
Yaroslav Askarov (confirmed starter), Alex Nedeljkovic