Preview: Sabres look for revenge against Leafs

For the second time in a week, Buffalo heads to Toronto

Game 65

Buffalo Sabres (30-26-8) vs Toronto Maple Leafs (39-21-4)

Puck Drop: 7:00 PM EST | Scotiabank Arena | Toronto, ON

TV: MSG

Radio: WGR 550

SB Nation Leafs blog: Pension Plan Puppets

Know Your Opponent

Toronto Maple Leafs

Record: (39-21-4) | 82 PTS

Last 10: 5-4-1

Division Ranking: 3rd in Atlantic Division

Conference Ranking: 3rd in Eastern Conference

PP: 7th (22.6%)

PK: 16th (80.1%)

What to Watch

1. Offensive Prowess

Several Sabres players have done quite well against the Leafs in their young careers. Jack Eichel has 15 points (10-5) in 11 games against Toronto. Sam Reinhart has 15 points (6-9) in his last 14 games against the Leafs. Overall, Eichel is on a seven-game point streak and recently set a new career-high with 70 points to date.

Elsewhere, Jason Pominville and Jeff Skinner each have five-game point streaks against Toronto heading into tonight’s game.

2. Back-to-Back

We all know that the Sabres have had a lot of trouble stringing together wins. It’s been months since they were able to win a pair of games in a row. Can they break that tonight after last night’s overtime win against the Penguins?

3. Tavares Watch

Expect the crowd at Scotiabank Arena to get loud tonight for John Tavares, as part of a grassroots effort to show Leafs’ fans appreciation of the forward after his less-than-welcoming “welcome back” to Long Island earlier this week.

Buffalo Sabres (Projected)

Forwards

Jeff Skinner - Jack Eichel - Sam Reinhart

Conor Sheary - Evan Rodrigues - Kyle Okposo

Scott Wilson - Casey Mittelstadt - Tage Thompson

Zemgus Girgensons - Johan Larsson - Jason Pominville

Defense

Jake McCabe - Rasmus Ristolainen

Rasmus Dahlin - Zach Bogosian

Matt Hunwick/Marco Scandella - Brandon Montour

Starting Goaltender: Carter Hutton (unconfirmed)

Toronto Maple Leafs (Projected)

Forwards

Zach Hyman - John Tavares - Mitch Marner

Andreas Johansson - Auston Matthews - Kasper Kapanen

Patrick Marleau - William Nylander - Connor Brown

Nic Petan - Frederik Gauthier - Trevor Moore

Defense

Morgan Rielly - Ron Hainsey

Jake Muzzin - Nikita Zaitsev

Martin Marincin - Justin Holl

Starting Goaltender: Frederik Andersen