This One Could Get Heated
Ottawa Senators (37-27-5) vs. Buffalo Sabres (28-35-6)
Puck Drop: 7:00 pm Eastern Time | Keybank Center | Buffalo, N.Y.
TV: MSG, ESPN +
Know Your Opponent
Ottawa Senators
Record: 37-27-5 | 79 PTS
Last Game: 3-2 win over New Jersey
Division Ranking: 4th in the Atlantic Division
PP: 23.8% (12th) Sabres 18.0% (26th)
PK: 77.0% (19th) Sabres 76.9% (20th)
What to Watch
1. Whitehorse in the House
Dylan Cozens and maybe Dennis Gilbert return tonight in Buffalo as the Sabres take on the surging Senators. Ottawa has gone 7-2-1 in their last ten games. Buffalo is 4-6 in their last ten but have actually won 4 out of their last 7. A physical Ottawa team, along with high emotions could spark some fireworks this evening. Unfortunately for Buffalo, they will be shorthanded both muscle and skill in this one. More on that later. Meanwhile, a seriously underperforming Cozens has suddenly found Jesus with the Senators. Call it a fresh start, better suited linemates or a player who finally decided to put in the effort again. Maybe all three. Either way, Dylan is playing well right now and so is his new team.
2. Sens and Sabres Stats
Buffalo has actually won the last two games over Ottawa this season. Convincingly. The Sabres beat the Sens 5-1 back in November at Keybank Center. Then they shut them out in Ottawa in January, 4-0. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen had 35 saves that night. But the Senators are on a roll lately and surging towards their first playoff appearance in years. These are the type of steps we all hoped Buffalo would take this season. Things are certainly coming together for the Senators at the right time.
It goes without saying that Ryan McLeod has been kicking ass lately and for this season in general. He has 3 goals and 7 points in his last 5 games. His goals, assists and points are already career highs with 13 games to go. JJ Peterka has goals in 3 straight games since his return from injury. Alex Tuch has scored some big goals lately, the kind a leader scores. Oddly enough, his assists are way down this season. This might mark just the second time in his career that Tuch scores more goals in a season than assists. For Ottawa, Drake Batherson has been cooking, with 6 points in his last 5 games.
3. Still Shorthanded
The Sabres have lost Sam Lafferty and Jordan Greenway in the last two games. As of this writing, neither are expected for tonight’s game. Jiri Kulich remains out in concussion protocol but should be getting close to a return. And the former Senator Josh Norris looks to miss this game as well. There was hope he would be ready to suit up against his former team but he needs more time. None of this is good news for a Buffalo team looking to slow down white hot Ottawa. The Sabres have shown this season they can match the physicality of the rough and tumble teams like Ottawa. But they are still outmatched if the game deteriorates into fisticuffs. I sure can envision both Cozens and Gilbert (if he plays) getting into skirmishes with their former team. Gilbert has been a scratch all but one game with the Sens so far. But he might be inserted back in the lineup for this one. We shall see what transpires.
UPDATE: The Sabres have recalled forward Isak Rosen from the Rochester Americans. Forward Brett Murray has been loaned to Rochester in a corresponding move. Also, Jiri Kulich seems to have been updated to a game time decision. He practiced this morning with the team. Buffalo may go with 11 forwards and 7 defenders if they are short upfront. It also appears that James Reimer will get the nod again tonight after his strong performance in Winnipeg.
Projected Lineups
Buffalo
Forwards
Zach Benson – Tage Thompson – Alex Tuch
JJ Peterka – Ryan McLeod – Jack Quinn
Jason Zucker – Jiri Kulich? – Isak Rosen?
Beck Malenstyn – Peyton Krebs – Tyson Kozak
Defense
Mattias Samuelsson – Rasmus Dahlin
Owen Power – Jacob Bernard-Docker
Bowen Byram– Connor Clifton
(Jacob Bryson)
Goaltenders
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, James Reimer (expected)
Ottawa
Forwards
Brady Tkachuk – Tim Stutzle – Fabian Zetterlund
David Perron – Dylan Cozens – Drake Batherson
Ridly Greig – Shane Pinto – Claude Giroux
Matthew Highmore – Adam Gaudette – Michael Amadio
Defense
Jake Sanderson – Artem Zub
Thomas Chabot – Travis Hamonic
Tyler Kleven – Nikolas Matinpalo
(Dennis Gilbert)
Goaltenders
Anton Forsberg, Linus Ullmark (expected)