Sabres at Senators preview: Eichel centering Kane and Ennis tonight
Eichel will get a chance to play with the Sabres top two wingers for the first time tonight.
Preseason Game #4
Buffalo Sabres (2-1-0) at
Ottawa Senators (1-2-0)
Puck Drop: 7:00 pm EST | Canadian Tire Centre | Kanata , ON
TV: TSN5 | Radio: WGR 550
SB Nation Senators Blog: Silver Seven
The Sabres head to Ottawa fresh off a victory against the Leafs, but tonight's players are an entirely different group.
Dan Bylsma said on Friday that he expected to split the team for these two games, meaning Jack Eichel, Tyler Ennis, Zemgus Girgensons and Evander Kane will be in the lineup tonight. Chad Johnson will likely be the starter with Robin Lehner playing last night.
Bylsma changed the lines this weekend, breaking up the traditional Kane - O'Reilly -Ennis first line. Tonight, Eichel will get a chance to play with the Sabres' top two wingers. That's clearly the most interesting line to follow, but Johan Larsson centering Jamie McGinn and Nick Baptiste could be a sneak peak at a very good third line of the future.
Ottawa is starting Craig Anderson, with Matt O'Connor backing him up tonight. O'Connor started the last time these two teams played. The Sens are playing a rather veteran heavy lineup, including Erik Karlsson, Bobby Ryan, Kyle Turris, Jared Cowen, Marc Methot and Clarke MacArthur.
Projected BUF Roster
Kane - Eichel - Ennis
Carrier - Girgensons - Akeson
McGinn - Larsson - Baptiste
D'Amigo - Varone -Nevins
Colaiacovo - Ruhwedel
McCabe - Leduc
Donovan - Franson
Goal: Chad Johnson