Preview: Sabres look to bounce back against Senators
Buffalo hosts Ottawa in opening game of weekend back-to-back
Game 19
Buffalo Sabres (9-6-3) vs. Ottawa Senators (8-10-1)
Puck Drop: 7:00 PM EST | KeyBank Center | Buffalo, NY
TV: MSG-B
Radio: WGR 550
SB Nation Senators Blog: Silver Seven Sens
Know Your Opponent
Ottawa Senators
Record: (8-10-1) | 17 points
Last 10: 6-4-0
Division Ranking: 7th in Atlantic Division
Conference Ranking: 14th in Eastern Conference
PP: 31st (7.7%)
PK: 15th (81.6%)
What to Watch
1. Please Don’t Give Up A Power Play Goal
Look at the stat line above. The Senators have the league-worst power play, capitalizing on only 7.7 percent of their chances with the man advantage. This should mean the Sabres don’t have much trouble killing off penalties tonight, but with the way things have been going.... just please, Sabres. Don’t give up a power-play goal to the team that’s the worst in the league at this.
2. In Search of a Win
The Sabres managed to stretch the Hurricanes to overtime earlier in the week, but they’re still in desperate need of an actual victory. Buffalo is 3-5-2 in its last ten games and has yet to win in the month of November.
3. A Busy Schedule
Tonight’s game kicks off a very busy two weeks for the Sabres. Following this evening, they’re right back at it tomorrow night in Chicago. Other upcoming opponents include Minnesota and Boston.
The last week of the month, the Sabres face a very challenging schedule: five games in seven nights, including a home-and-home with the Maple Leafs.
Game Prediction
Projected Lineup
Buffalo Sabres
Forwards
Victor Olofsson - Jack Eichel - Sam Reinhart
Jeff Skinner - Evan Rodrigues - Conor Sheary
Jimmy Vesey - Casey Mittelstadt - Curtis Lazar
Zemgus Girgensons - Rasmus Asplund - Kyle Okposo
Defense
Rasmus Dahlin - Brandon Montour
Jake McCabe - Rasmus Ristolainen
Marco Scandella - Henri Jokiharju
Starting Goaltender: Linus Ullmark
Ottawa Senators (no morning skate)
Forwards
Brady Tkachuk - Logan Brown - Anthony Duclair
Nick Paul - Jean-Gabriel Pageau - Connor Brown
Vladislav Namestnikov - Colin White - Tyler Ennis
Filip Chlapik - Chris Tierney - Bobby Ryan
Defense
Thomas Chabot - Nikita Zaitsev
Mark Borowiecki - Dylan Demelo
Erik Brannstrom - Ron Hainsey
Starting Goaltender: Craig Anderson