Game #8
Buffalo Sabres (2-3-2) at Winnipeg Jets (4-4-0)
Puck drop: 3:00 p.m. EST | MTS Center | Winnipeg, MB
TV: MSG-B, TSN3, NHL.TV | Radio: WGR 550
SB Nation Jets Blog: Arctic Ice Hockey
Three Questions
1. Can Robin Lehner match the strong effort from Anders Nilsson in his return?
Lehner is back on the ice today after missing a few games with an illness, and he has a tall task to live up to his backup, Anders Nilsson, who pitched his first shutout as a member of the Sabres yesterday.
2. How will the Sabres handle the quick turnaround from yesterday’s game and travel?
Sabres coach Dan Byslma evened out his playing time a bit yesterday in the hopes of keeping players fresh for today’s contest, and the Sabres will be under the gun against a rested Jets squad. They may also be without Nick Deslauriers, who left the game yesterday with a minor injury.
3. Will the Sabres shut down Patrick Laine?
Youngsters are taking over the NHL, and there’s a fine one on the other side of the ice today in Patrick Laine. Six goals and eight points leads the Jets in both categories, and Laine’s combination of speed and skill could be a very dangerous against a tired Sabres squad.
Projected BUF Lines
26 Matt Moulson – 90 Ryan O’Reilly – 21 Kyle Okposo
63 Tyler Ennis – 23 Sam Reinhart – 28 Zemgus Girgensons
82 Marcus Foligno – 22 Johan Larsson – 12 Brian Gionta
52 Hudson Fasching – 27 Derek Grant – 44 Nicolas Deslauriers
4 Josh Gorges – 55 Rasmus Ristolainen
77 Dmitry Kulikov – 47 Zach Bogosian
29 Jake McCabe – 6 Cody Franson
Goal: 40 Robin Lehner