Game 44

Buffalo Sabres (19-17-7) vs. St. Louis Blues (27-10-7)

Puck Drop: 8:00 PM EST | Enterprise Center | St. Louis, MO

TV: MSG-B

Radio: WGR 550

SB Nation Blues Blog: St. Louis Game Time

Know Your Opponent

St. Louis Blues

Record: 27-10-7

Last 10: 7-2-1

Division Ranking: 1st in Central Division

Conference Ranking: 1st in Western Conference

PP: 5th (24.4%)

PK: T-15th (80.8%)

What to Watch

1. Time for Liftoff

For the first time this season, defenseman Lawrence Pilut finds himself not only with the Buffalo Sabres but in the starting lineup.

Pilut has spent the season down with the Rochester Americans in the AHL and has excelled in all situations.

At this point, with Jake McCabe day-to-day, Pilut appears to be getting a golden opportunity to flank Rasmus Ristolainen and show the coaching staff that he indeed is ready to stick around.

2. Winning Ways

The Buffalo Sabres have won two in a row, starting 2020 off on the right foot.

With their very-much disjointed schedule throughout the month of January, one would think that momentum will be very hard to come by.

Facing off against the best team in the Western Conference, Buffalo will need all the luck and momentum that they can muster up.

3. Frolik’s Debut

On Thursday night, newly acquired forward Michael Frolik is expected to make his Buffalo Sabres debut.

According to Sabres.com, Frolik arrived in Buffalo on Tuesday night at 7:30 PM and took the ice for the first time shortly there after.

“It was a quick skate, 20 minutes, and it was good,” Frolik told Sabres.com. “I needed to feel the ice a little bit before I jumped into it.”

Frolik’s 832nd career game will go in the books as his first with the Sabres organization.

In his previous 831 games, Frolik has tallied 380 points (158 goals, 222 assists). This season, Frolik has amasses 10 points (five goals, five assists) in 38 games.

Projected Lineups

Buffalo Sabres

Forwards

Rasmus Asplund – Jack Eichel – Sam Reinhart

Michael Frolik – Marcus Johansson – Conor Sheary

Zemgus Girgensons – Johan Larsson – Kyle Okposo

Jimmy Vesey – Curtis Lazar – Scott Wilson

Defense

Lawrence Pilut – Rasmus Ristolainen

Rasmus Dahlin – Colin Miller

Brandon Montour – Henri Jokiharju

Starting Goaltender: Linus Ullmark (expected)

St. Louis Blues

Forwards

Jaden Schwartz – Brayden Schenn – Jordan Kyrou

Zach Sanford – Ryan O’Reilly – David Perron

Alex Steen – Robert Thomas – Tyler Bozak

Mackenzie Maceachern – Ivan Barbashev – Oskar Sundqvist

Defense

Vince Dunn – Alex Pietrangelo

Jay Bouwmeester – Justin Faulk

Niko Mikkola – Robert Bortuzzo

Starting Goaltender: Jordan Binnington (expected)