NHL-Leading Oilers Roll into Buffalo Tonight
The Sabres will look to control Edmonton’s high powered offense.
Game 13
Edmonton Oilers (10-2-0) vs. Buffalo Sabres (5-5-2)
Puck Drop: 7:00 PM EST | KeyBank Center | Buffalo, NY
TV: ESPN+ / Hulu
Radio: WGR 550
SB Nation Oilers’ Blog: Copper n’ Blue
Know Your Opponent
Edmonton Oilers
Record: (10-2-0) | 20 PTS
Division Ranking: 1st, Pacific Division
PP: 1st (44.1%)
PK: 5th (88.2%)
1. McDavid and Draisaitl ... Draisaitl and McDavid.
Leon Draisaitl leads the NHL in points (26) and goals (12) while Connor McDavid is slacking with only 24 points, good for 2nd in the league. On the bright side for McDavid, he is on a 12 game point scoring streak, which, if my math is correct, means he’s scored at least a point in every game so far.
2. Oil-Powered Play
The Sabres must stay out of the penalty box. The Oilers are shredding opponents with the man advantage to the tune of a 44.1% success rate. For some perspective, the next best power play in the NHL is at 35.7% (Blues).
3. Sabres Shuffle Defense
Mark Pysyk appears to be staying with Rasmus Dahlin for another game, while Will Butcher will be back in the lineup to work with Robert Hagg.
4. Victor Olofsson still out...
The scoring winger will remain sidelined with an injury that has kept him out of the blue and gold for 4 straight games.
Projected Lineups
Buffalo Sabres
Forwards
Jeff Skinner - Tage Thompson - Rasmus Asplund
Drake Caggiula - Dylan Cozens - Vinnie Hinostroza
Zemgus Girgensons - Cody Eakin - Kyle Okposo
Anders Bjork - Arttu Ruotsalainen - John Hayden
Defense
Rasmus Dahlin - Mark Pysyk
Jacob Bryson - Colin Miller
Robert Hagg - Will Butcher
Starter: Dustin Tokarski
Edmonton Oilers
Forwards
Zach Hyman - Connor McDavid - Jesse Puljujarvi
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins - Leon Draisaitl - Kailer Yamamoto
Warren Foegele - Derek Ryan - Kyle Turris
Brendan Perlini - Ryan McLeod - Colton Sceviour
Defense
Darnell Nurse - Evan Bouchard
Duncan Keith - Cody Ceci
Slater Koekkoek - Tyson Barrie
Starter: Stuart Skinner