Game 65
Buffalo Sabres (23-33-8) vs. Washington Capitals (35-20-10)
Puck Drop: 7:00 PM | KeyBank Center | Buffalo, NY
TV: MSG
Radio: WGR 550
SB Nation Capitals Blog: Japers’ Rink
Know Your Opponent
Washington Capitals Record: 35-20-10 | 80 PTS
Division Ranking: 4th in Metropolitan Division
PP: 19th (19.7%)
PK: 15th (80.0%)
What to Watch
1. Caps Hope to Bounce Back
After winning four straight, including two in shootouts and another in overtime, the Capitals have dropped their last two games. They fell to the Dallas Stars 3-2 on March 20, then suffered a 5-2 loss to the St. Louis Blues on March 22.
The Sabres, meanwhile, are riding high on the opposite end of things. Buffalo enters tonight’s game on the heels of their third straight overtime victory. They’ve won five of their last six games and 7 of their last 10.
2. Hold off Ovechkin
It’s no surprise that 36-year-old Alex Ovechkin leads the Caps with 40 goals and 76 points on the season. We all know how lethal his shot is, and just how good he can be. Ovechkin’s five-game point streak recently came to an end in the loss against the Blues, but he still has recorded at least a point in 9 of his last 11 games. The Sabres will need to take extra care against him if they hope to hold him off the scoresheet.
3. Granato’s Pregame Comments
Play fearless. Play aggressive. #LetsGoBuffalo
— Buffalo Sabres (@BuffaloSabres) March 25, 2022
Projected Lineups
Buffalo Sabres
Forwards
Skinner – Thompson – Tuch
Krebs – Cozens – Hinostroza
Asplund – Mittelstadt – Olofsson
Girgensons – Eakin – Okposo
Defense
Dahlin – Jokiharju
Miller – Pysyk
Samuelsson – Bryson
Starter: Tokarski
Washington Capitals
Forwards
Ovechkin – Kuznetsov – Johansson
Mantha – Backstrom – Sheary
McMichael – Eller – Wilson
Jonsson-Fjalby – Dowd – Hathaway
Defense
Fehervary – Carlson
Orlov – Jensen
Irwin – Schultz
Starter: Samsonov