Game Thread: Sabres vs. Canadiens
Thomas Vanek returns to Buffalo.
Game #68
Buffalo Sabres (19-40-8) vs. Montreal Canadiens (36-25-7)
Puck Drop - 7:00pm EST - First Niagara Center - Buffalo, NY
TV - MSG, RDS, TSN-HABS, Bell TV | Radio - WGR 550-AM
SBNation Canadiens Blog - Eyes on the Prize
Three Questions
1. What will happen with Thomas Vanek tonight?
This will be Vanek's first game back in Buffalo since being traded to the Islanders, and then the Canadiens. Aside from a nice video tribute (hopefully) how will Vanek play on the ice? Will we see a classic Vanek power play tip-in? Will someone yell at him for "lazily" skating off on a change?
2. Who will be the first person not named Drew Stafford or Tyler Ennis to score?
In Buffalo's previous five games, all losses, Stafford and Ennis have been the only players who've managed to find the twine, racking up five goals between the two of them. Will anyone else chip in tonight? If not, it's pretty safe to assume another loss.
3. Will we see any St. Patrick's Day luck that will make for easy headlines?
Pucks going in off the post, a wacky bounce off the end boards, a Cory Conacherleprechaun joke - heck, a this point a Sabres win will seem pretty lucky. They're wearing green jerseys during warmups, because every little bit helps.
Projected BUF Lines
Conacher - Ennis - Stafford
Foligno - Hodgson - D'Agostini
Deslauriers - Leino - Flynn
Scott - Konopka - Ellis
Ehrhoff – Ruwhedel
Tallinder - Ristolainen
Weber - McBain
Goal: Michal Neuvirth
Scratches/Injuries: Girgensons, Stewart, Mitchell, Sulzer, Myers