Game #8
Buffalo Sabres (1-6-0) at
Los Angeles Kings (4-1-1)
Three Questions
1. Who will have a bigger impact – former Sabres defensemen, or Nikita Zadorov, making his first appearance of the year?
After seven games as a healthy scratch, Nikita Zadorov will finally be active tonight…as the seventh defenseman. Will all of his pent-up healthy scratch energy provide a spark for the dull Sabres? The Kings, meanwhile, have both Robyn Regehr and Brayden McNabb, two former Sabres, in their starting lineup. Will the LAK d-men have a bit of a chip on their shoulder for this game, or does the fact that they play for LA instead of Buffalo soften the blow of being traded?
2. Which Nolan comes out on top?
Ted Nolan coaches the Sabres – his son Jordan Nolan will be on the fourth line tonight for the Kings. This will be the first time Ted has coached against Jordan. But Ted coaches the Buffalo Sabres, so we probably already know the answer to this question.
3. Goals?
Over the past three games, the Sabres have had a harder time scoring than a freshman on prom night, and they’re still waiting for the fifth member of the team to join the “has scored a goal” club, something which really should not have taken this long. Connor McDavid highlights will only sustain us for so long. Dare we hope for…two goals tonight?
Projected BUF Lineup
Zadorov
Goal: Jhonas Enroth
Projected LAK Lineup
Goal: Jonathan Quick