Game 82

Buffalo Sabres (32-39-10) vs. Detroit Red Wings (32-39-10)

Puck Drop: 7:00 PM | Little Caesars Arena | Detroit, MI

TV: MSG-B, FSDT

Radio: WGR 550

SB Nation Red Wings Blog: Winging it in Motown

Know Your Opponent

Detroit Red Wings

Record: (32-39-10)

Last 10: 8-2-0

Division Ranking: 6th in the Atlantic Division

Conference Ranking: 13th in the Eastern Conference

PP: 20th (17.8%)

PK: 28th (77.7%)

What to Watch

1. Looking for that second win

Unless fans have been living under a rock, they are well aware of the nosedive the Sabres have taken since the final weeks of 2018. If Buffalo wins tonight - against a team they are very evenly matched - it will be the first time the team has won two games in a row since mid-December. They won against the Senators on Thursday night in Buffalo.

2. Play-by-play favorite Rick Jeanneret’s last game?

It was announced yesterday that beloved Jeanneret is a question mark for returning to his duties in the 2019-2020 season. Like all Buffalo fans, he expected a playoff run this year and did not get that. The legend is turning 77 years old this summer and has been with the franchise since 1971. If anyone deserves a Stanley Cup, it is Jeanneret. So, the message for tonight’s game is this: it may be the last time we hear his prodigious voice. Regardless of the outcome and what the final scoreboard reads, it will be worth listening to.

3. Tonight decides lottery chances for both teams

To contradict the first item under “What to Watch,” Buffalo may also be looking for a loss tonight. The Sabres and Red Wings are both looking for a better lottery spot for the draft next week as they are neck-and-neck in the standings. Buffalo’s odds of a better draft pick would decrease with a win tonight. Currently sitting in fourth for the lottery, Buffalo has a 9.5% chance of getting the number one overall pick. Their chances would bump down to 8.5% with a win tonight.

Buffalo Sabres

Forwards

Victor Olofsson - Jack Eichel - Sam Reinhart

Jeff Skinner - Evan Rodrigues - Kyle Okposo

Scott Wilson - Casey Mittelstadt - Conor Sheary

Zemgus Girgensons - Johan Larsson - Jason Pominville

Defense

Rasmus Dahlin - Rasmus Ristolainen

Jake McCabe - Brandon Montour

Lawrence Pilut - Casey Nelson

Starting Goaltender: Carter Hutton (projected)

Detroit Red Wings

Forwards

Tyler Bertuzzi - Dylan Larkin - Anthony Mantha

Darren Helm - Andreas Athanasiou - Taro Hirose

Ryan Kuffner - Christoffer Ehn - Martin Frk

Matt Puempel - Dominic Turgeon - Luke Witkowski

Defense

Niklas Kronwall - Filip Hronek

Joe Hicketts - Madison Bowey

Dylan McIlrath - Jake Chelios

Starting Goaltender: Jimmy Howard (projected)