Game #78 Preview & Open Thread: Sabres vs. Blue Jackets

Streaking Sabres Try on Some Jackets For Size

Buffalo Sabres (35-36-6) vs. Columbus Blue Jackets (35-33-9)

Puck Drop: 7:00 pm Eastern Time | Nationwide Arena | Columbus, Ohio

TV: MSG, ESPN +

Know Your Opponent

Columbus Blue Jackets

Record: 35-33-9 | 79 PTS

Last Game: 5-2 win over Ottawa

Division Ranking: 6th in the Metro Division

PP: 19.2% (22nd) Sabres 18.2% (26th)

PK: 76.0% (25th) Sabres 76.6% (23rd)

What To Watch

1. Keep Rollin’ Rollin’ Rollin’ Rollin’

The Buffalo Sabres have won 5 straight games and 8 of their last 10. Top to bottom, the team is playing very well. Do they still have their flaws? Gimmie’ a hell yeah! But they are working as a united unit right now like we have not seen this season with any consistency. The defensive pairings are really clicking, with everyone holding their own weight. Mattias Samuelsson has found his defensive groove with Rasmus Dahlin. He is standing out for his shot blocking and physicality now over his defensive lapses. Dahlin is being Dahlin, playing well at both ends of the ice. Owen Power still has his ups and downs but Jacob Bernard-Docker has been a steady partner for him. Bo Byram has been picking up points and making plays while Connor Clifton seems to have a big hit nightly. It’s a decently solid and steady defense as opposed to the frazzled monstrosity we have seen earlier this season. Goalie James Reimer has bailed them out when they have faltered. By the way, Frazzled Monstrosity would make a great band name.

Meanwhile, the Sabres are rolling their top 3 lines out pretty evenly, as all are producing. The 4th line is getting their share of ice time as well. Sam Lafferty and Beck Malenstyn are playing sound and steady. But the big guns continue to score, spread out over the top 3. Tage Thompson, Alex Tuch and JJ Peterka are killing it right now. Tuch and Tage in particular are steamrolling the competition, lighting the lamp nearly every night for the past few weeks. The support from their teammates has been strong as well. Ryan McLeod, Peyton Krebs, Jack Quinn, Zach Benson, Jiri Kulich and Jason Zucker are all chipping in. It’s almost easy to forget the team is down two big players in Josh Norris and Jordan Greenway right now. Next season, the offense should be pretty deep with interchangeable parts to utilize. The Sabres should be ready to plug and play on most nights without difficulty.

2. Grown Ups

Is this team growing up before our eyes? Or are they benefiting from less pressure and free spirit hockey? They have been handling some very good hockey teams lately and looking good doing it. They are engaged and focused, even when outmatched on paper. I know one thing, these playoff teams are not just laying down for the Sabres. They are on their own quests. There is SOMETHING there that is driving Buffalo and the blend of talent and effort is getting the job done. The star players are performing as they should. The role players are doing their thing. And the supporting cast of vets and young players have kicked it up a notch. They are battling out there as a TEAM and it is really refreshing to see. The one blip on the scope though is UPL. Even in victory the other night, he seems off his game and slow to react, while being out of position often. His second half of the season has been a real bummer for him, the team and the fans. Thankfully, James Reimer has gone on a nice run for the Sabres. I can’t imagine head coach Lindy Ruff doesn’t give the net back to him again tonight after his big shutout. But with just 5 games left (including tonight) I imagine UPL gets at least one, maybe two more starts before the season ends.

3. Don’t Get Cannonballed

The Sabres have a losing record all time against Columbus. Some of the really bad teams of this playoff drought have contributed to that. Buffalo is 1-1 against the Blue Jackets this season. But they already dropped a 6-4 game to them in Columbus back in October. And who can forget that 9-4 drubbing in Buffalo last season? I still remember my mind numbing disbelief on that night. It will be interesting to see which Buffalo team shows up against a non playoff opponent again. They handled their business against Boston and Pittsburgh but got hammered in Philly. Hopefully the Sabres bring their A game tonight and keep that cannon silent.

We all know Tage, Tuch and Peterka are leading the way for Buffalo right now. So today I thought I would highlight some of the other players doing well. Rasmus Dahlin has 5 points in his last 5 games (2-3) and Jack Quinn does as well. (1-4) Ryan McLeod has come back to Earth with 3 points in his last 5. (2-1) He is still working hard and making plays out there though after that McDavid-like run he went on. Mattias Samuelsson has 3 assists in his last 5 games and is a +6. Sammy has set career highs this season with games played, goals and points.

UPDATE: Merzlikins looks like the starter for Columbus. Norris and Greenway are still absent as the Sabres had their morning skate in Columbus. Reimer is in the starter’s net.

Projected Lineups

Buffalo

Forwards

Zach Benson – Jiri Kulich – Tage Thompson
JJ Peterka – Ryan McLeod – Jack Quinn
Jason Zucker – Peyton Krebs – Alex Tuch
Beck Malenstyn – Noah Ostlund – Sam Lafferty

Defense

Mattias Samuelsson – Rasmus Dahin
Owen Power – Jacob Bernard-Docker
Bowen Byram – Connor Clifton

Goaltenders

James Reimer, Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen

Columbus