Boston Bruins (1-3) at Buffalo Sabres (3-1)
Puck Drop: 7:30 PM | KeyBank Center | Buffalo, New York
TV: MSG-B, TNT/HBO Max
Radio: WGR 550
Know Your Opponent
Boston Bruins
Record: 45-27-10 | 100 PTS
Division Ranking: 4th in Atlantic Division
Last Game: 6-1 Loss vs Sabres
PP: 15.4% | Sabres 0%
PK: 100% | Sabres 84.6%
What to Watch
1. Punch Your Ticket
Buffalo took care of business on the road to give themselves an opportunity to clinch the series victory at home. The entire team has emphasized that this will be the toughest challenge yet. Boston is in their most desperate state and will not go down without a fight. As the Flyers are finding out against the Penguins, getting a series lead is much different from closing it out. The Sabres need to match the Bruins intensity, weather the desperation-fueled push, and send Boston to the golf course.
2. Crucial Beginning
The first period is going to be vital for Buffalo’s success. The Bruins will throw everything they have at the Sabres to gain an early lead. If Boston can secure a lead, they can fall back into their suffocating, defensively sound game that frustrated the Sabres outside of game 4. If Buffalo can jump on the Bruins early, they will force the Bruins to open their game up which will give Buffalo the chance to utilize their superior speed and skill. The last thing they should get mixed up in is retribution for Zadorov’s gutless cross check on Dahlin. Ending Boston’s season has to be their only focus.
3. Playing Through Pain
Zucker and Kozak left game 4 with injuries. Lindy Ruff said they might have returned had the game been close, but the blowout didn’t necessitate their return. Both of them, plus Josh Norris, were at the morning skate this morning and are available to play tonight. Based on the line rushes, the lineup will mirror game 4 with Norris remaining sidelined. We are entering the time of year where just about everybody has something going on, but they play through it if possible. The balance the Sabres have found in their lineup is key to their success, so it’s encouraging that they remain mostly healthy. The Bruins did not have a morning skate so their lineup is harder to predict. Arvidsson and Zadorov both missed practice yesterday with injuries and are considered game-time decisions. Regardless of their availability, Buffalo should feel confident rolling out their same lineup from game 4.
Projected Lineups
Buffalo Sabres
Forwards
Krebs – Thompson – Tuch
Benson – Ostlund – Doan
Zucker – McLeod – Quinn
Greenway – Kozak – Malenstyn
Defense
Samuelsson – Dahlin
Byram – Power
Stanley – Timmins
Starter: Lyon
Boston Bruins
Forwards
Geekie – E.Lindholm – Pastrnak
Mittelstadt – Zacha – Arvidsson
Reichel – Minten – Khusnutdinov
Jeannot – Kuraly – Kastelic
Defense
Aspirot – McAvoy
Lindholm – Harris
Zadorov – Peeke
Starter: Swayman