Game 13

Buffalo Sabres (9-2-2) vs. Washington Capitals (9-2-3)

Puck Drop: 7:00 PM EST | Capital One Arena | Washington, D.C.

TV: MSG-B

Radio: WGR 550

SB Nation Capitals Blog: Japers Rink

Know Your Opponent

Washington Capitals

Record: 9-2-3 | 21 PTS

Last 10: 7-2-1

Division Ranking: 1st in Metro Division

Conference Ranking: 1st in Eastern Conference

PP: 6th (25.5%)

PK: 6th (85.2%)

What to Watch

1. The Champ is here?

Capital One Arena may be a little rowdier than normal this evening. I’m sure the newly crowned World Series Champions, Washington Nationals, will make an appearance at some point. We’ll see if the Sabres can weather the storm.

2. The Return...maybe

Both Jimmy Vesey and Brandon Montour practiced yesterday before the team headed off to the nation’s capital. Ralph Krueger indicated that Vesey likely wouldn’t return for tonight’s game, but tomorrow was possible. Montour, on the other hand, remains to be a mystery. The head coach said earlier in the week it was unlikely that the defender played in both games this weekend, but he has been practicing on a regular pair all week. We’ll see if gets back in tonight or tomorrow at home against the New York Islanders.

3. No losing streaks allowed

Early on in the season, the Sabres have followed up every loss with a win. Players have discussed how they believe that they’re not a multi-loss team and they rally around that. After falling to the Coyotes in overtime on Monday, they have another opportunity to follow up a defeat with a win.

Projected Lineup

Buffalo Sabres

Forwards

Victor Olofsson - Jack Eichel - Sam Reinhart

Jeff Skinner - Marcus Johansson - Vladimir Sobotka

Evan Rodrigues - Casey Mittelstadt - Conor Sheary

Zemgus Girgensons - Johan Larsson - Kyle Okposo

Defense

Jake McCabe - Rasmus Ristolainen

Rasmus Dahlin - Henri Jokiharju

Brandon Montour/John Gilmour - Colin Miller

Starting Goaltender: Carter Hutton (unconfirmed)

Washington Capitals

Forwards

Alex Ovechkin - Nicklas Backstrom - T.J. Oshie

Jakub Vrana - Evgeny Kuznetsov - Tom Wilson

Carl Hagelin - Lars Eller - Garnet Hathaway

Brendan Leipsic - Nic Dowd - Travis Boyd

Defense

Michal Kempny - John Carlson

Dmitri Orlov - Radko Gudas

Jonas Siegenthaler - Nick Jensen

Starting Goaltender: Braden Holtby (unconfirmed)