Game 6

Buffalo Sabres (3-1-1) vs. Tampa Bay Lightning (2-2-1)

Puck Drop: 7:00 PM | KeyBank Center | Buffalo, NY

TV: ESPN, MSG-B

Radio: WGR 550

SB Nation Lightning Blog: Raw Charge

Know Your Opponent

Tampa Bay Lightning

Record: (2-2-1) | 5 PTS

Last Game: 4-3 Shootout Loss vs. Colorado Avalanche

Division Ranking: 5th in Atlantic Division

PP: 22nd (16.7%)

PK: 12th (84.2%)

What to Watch

1. Back-to-Back Stanley Cup Defenders

The Sabres will host the cup champions – not just of last season but also the season prior. The last time these two teams met was December 31st, 2019(!) when the Lightning came from behind to defeat the Sabres 6-4 in the Queen City. They have won their last seven in a row versus the Sabres, and, in the last 10 years, the Bolts are 13-3-1. So far this season, they are undefeated on the road.

Buffalo will look to turn their rough weekend of losses around in what will definitely be a tough matchup tonight.

2. Kucherov on Long Term Injured Reserve

The Lightning will be without one of their star forwards for quite some time as right-winger Nikita Kucherov suffered a serious groin injury during a recent game against the Washington Capitals. After already recovering from hip surgery in the off-season, this is a big loss for Tampa, especially on the power play. He started the season with four points in three games. Wishing him a speedy recovery!

3. Maroon, Among Others

Veteran left-winger Patrick Maroon will be one to watch tonight – he is on a six-game point streak against the Sabres with four goals and three assists. Anthony Cirelli and Steven Stamkos will also be players to watch as they each have a three-game assist streak against Buffalo. So far this season, Stamkos has an impressive nine points and shows no signs of slowing down. Tampa Bay has yet to score in the first period this season, though, so the Sabres should take advantage of this and get on the scoreboard as early as possible.

Projected Lineup

Buffalo Sabres

Forwards

Jeff Skinner – Dylan Cozens – Vinnie Hinostroza

Rasmus Asplund – Tage Thompson – Victor Olofsson

Anders Bjork – Zemgus Girgensons – Kyle Okposo

Drake Caggiula – Arttu Ruotsalainen – John Hayden

Defensemen

Rasmus Dahlin – Will Butcher

Robert Hagg – Mark Pysyk

Jacob Bryson – Colin Miller

Starting Goaltender: Craig Anderson (expected)

Tampa Bay Lightning

Forwards

Ondrej Palat – Brayden Point – Steven Stamkos

Alex Killorn – Anthony Cirelli – Mathieu Joseph

Pat Maroon – Ross Colton – Corey Perry

Boris Katchouk – Pierre Edouard Bellemare – Taylor Raddysh

Defensemen

Victor Hedman – Jan Rutta

Ryan McDonagh – Erik Cernak

Mikhail Sergachev – Andrej Sustr

Starting Goaltender: Brian Elliott