Game 50

Buffalo Sabres (16-25-8) vs. Colorado Avalanche (35-9-4)

Puck Drop: 1:00 PM EST | KeyBank Center | Buffalo, NY

TV: MSG-B

Radio: WGR 550

SB Nation Colorado Avalanche Blog: Mile High Hockey

Know Your Opponent

Colorado Avalanche

Record: (35-9-4)

Division Ranking: 1st in the Central Division

PP: 9th (24.0%)

PK: 21st (77.2%)

What to Watch

1. Best Team in the League

The Sabres are in for a tough one on Saturday afternoon. The Avalanche currently sit atop the NHL standings, with a record of 35-9-4 and 74 points, one more than the Florida Panthers. They’ve averaged 3.96 goals/game, compared to the Sabres’ 2.65 stat line in the same category. Expect the Avalanche to come out flying, and the Sabres will need to keep up.

2. Mittlestadt is Back

Finally, we’ll get to see Casey Mittelstadt return to the lineup. Hopefully – fingers crossed – this time it actually lasts. Mittelstadt has only played in seven games this season due to a myriad of injuries. It’s big for a Buffalo team who is realistically only a few steps from being a contender that Mittelstadt is back. (No, the Sabres won’t be a contender this season, but they’re closer than it sometimes appears.)

Projected Lineups

Buffalo Sabres

Forwards

Jeff Skinner-Tage Thompson-Alex Tuch

Victor Olofsson-Peyton Krebs-Dylan Cozens

Kyle Okposo-Cody Eakin-Rasmus Asplund

Anders Bjork-Mark Jankowski-Casey Mittelstadt

Defense

Henri Jokiharju-Ramus Dahlin

Mark Pysyk-Jacob Bryson

Casey Fitzgerald-Mattias Samuelsson

Starting Goalie: Dustin Tokarski

Colorado Avalanche

Forwards

Landeskog-MacKinnon-Rantanen

Nichuskin-Kadri-Burakovsky

O’Connor-Newhook-Helm

Compher-Jost-Aube-Kubel

Defense

Toews-Makar

J. Johnson – Girard

McDermid – E. Johnson

Starting Goalie: Kuemper