Game #49
Buffalo Sabres (14-31-3) at
Vancouver Canucks (26-17-3)
Three Questions
1. How will Ryan Miller preform in his first game against the Sabres?
The Sabres will be facing an old friend in Ryan Miller for the first time since the team traded him last season. This season has been a successful season for Miller, who is now playing behind a competent team. He is second in the NHL with five shutouts and has a solid .917 save percentage and a 2.33 goals against average. The Sabres have struggled against mediocre goalies, will they be able to get the best of a goalie who has the scouting report on many of their players?
2. Will Matt Hackett get his first NHL start of the season?
In the other crease will possibly be Matt Hackett, filling in for Jhonas Enroth in the second game of the back-to-back. Hackett spent a majority of the year in Buffalo recovering from his leg injury. The Sabres recalled him earlier this week due to Michal Neuvirth’s injury. He played three games in Rochester, and his stats have been about what his stat line has always been, a 3.10 goals against average and a .886 save percentage.
3. Can the Sabres avoid losing a 14th consecutive game?
The longest losing streak in NHL history is 17, split between the 1974 Washington Capitals and the 1993 San Jose Sharks. Following Vancouver, the Sabres play Montreal, St. Louis, Dallas and the Islanders. Breaking that record is entirely possible.
Projected BUF lines
Moulson – Girgensons – Ennis
Flynn – Mitchell – Gionta
Stewart – Hodgson – Stafford
Deslauriers – Ellis – Kaleta
Gorges – Myers
Meszaros – Ristolainen
Weber – Strachan
Goal: Matt Hackett