Game #31
Buffalo Sabres (12-15-3) at
Detroit Red Wings (16-8-6)
Puck Drop: 7:30 pm EST | Joe Louis Arena | Detroit, MI
TV: MSG, Bell, FS-D | Radio: WGR 550
SB Nation Red Wings Blog: Winging It In Motown
Three Questions
1. Can the Sabres take advantage of a suddenly weak Red Wings PK?
Since losing Drew Miller to a broken jaw, the Detroit penalty kill is a dreadful 66% over their past four games. The Sabres power play is tied for second best in the NHL (well whattaya know) at 23.7%, so this should be a match up the Sabres can exploit tonight.
2. Will the Sabres be able to get the first goal?
When scoring first, the Red Wings have a dominant 15-2-4 record (as opposed the Sabres 7-5) and when leading after one, the Wings are 7-0-1. We all know that the first period has been Buffalo’s worst, so if the Sabres can strike first, it will go a long way toward breaking Detroit’s 13-game point streak.
2. Can ROR keep his point streak alive?
Buffalo’s #1 center has a seven game point streak going, amassing 10 points during that stretch, and he’s now 21st in the NHL with 27 points in 30 games.
Projected BUF lines
McGinn – R. O’Reilly – Reinhart
Moulson – Eichel – Kane
Gionta – Larsson – Girgensons
Foligno – Legwand – Deslauriers
Gorges – Ristolainen
McCabe – Bogosian
Weber – Franson
Weber – Franson
Goal: Linus Ullmark
Projected DET lines
Larkin – Zetterberg – Abdelkader
Nyquist – Sheahan – Tatar
Helm – Datsyuk – Richards
Andersson – Glendening – Jurko
Kronwall – Green
DeKeyser – Ericsson
Smith – Marchenko
Goal: Petr Mrazek