Game #20
Pittsburgh Penguins (9-9-0) vs. Buffalo Sabres (8-9-2)
Puck Drop: 6:00 PM EST | KeyBank Center | Buffalo, NY
TV: TNT
Radio: WGR-550
Know Your Opponent
Pittsburgh Penguins
Record: 9-9-0
Last Game: 1-0 loss to Rangers
Division Ranking: 6th, Metropolitan
PP: 25th, 13.7%
PK: T-5th, 85.7%
What to Watch
1. The Big Names
The more things change, the more they stay the same – the Pens’ offense continues to be a threat led by guys like Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin. Crosby leads the team with 22 points (12-10) this season, while Malkin has 18 points in 18 games. Crosby & Malkin are also the league leaders, among active players, in career points scored against the Sabres. It’s easy math to say that the Sabres need to play hard against those two and limit the opportunities they’re given, but it’s a tall task to say the last.
Jake Guentzel is also have a nice season so far for Pittsburgh, with a team-high 15 assists and a total of 21 points. Newcomer Erik Karlsson also has 17 points, while guys like Bryan Rust and Reilly Smith aren’t far behind. Karlsson is seventh in the league in scoring among defenders so far this season.
In case you need a reminder, Rasmus Dahlin leads the Sabres with 15 points, including 11 assists, while Jeff Skinner, JJ Peterka and Casey Mittelstadt all have 14 points each. Skinner’s eight goals are the most on the team.
2. Expect Some Shots
The Penguins enter Friday night atop the NHL with an average of 33.9 shots per game. It’s no surprise, given Pittsburgh’s richness of offensive talent, but Buffalo will need to play a strong defensive game in all aspects tonight. Block shots, get in lanes, clog up the zone. Sure, that should be the goal in any game, but particularly when you know the team you’re facing tends to get a good amount of shots on goal each game.
That said, the Pens have 58 goals-for this season, while the Sabres aren’t too far behind with 54.
3. Zach Benson’s 10th Game
Tonight will mark the 10th game of the season for Zach Benson, who has certainly earned himself a full-time roster spot in the NHL. The rookie scored his first career NHL goal on Wednesday night in the most spectacular way, with a between-the-legs, highlight-reel quality tally. You can’t ask for much more than that for any goal, much less your first.
Let’s see if he can get an equally fantastic one for his second. (Side note: No photo of Benson with his first goal puck?)
Projected Lineups
Buffalo Sabres*
Per Don Granato, the Sabres are waiting for a health update on a forward. That will determine tonight’s lineup, including if the Sabres once again go with 11 forwards and 7 defenders.
Forwards
Jeff Skinner – Dylan Cozens – Alex Tuch
JJ Peterka – Casey Mittelstadt – Zach Benson
Jordan Greenway – Tyson Jost – Victor Olofsson
Zemgus Girgensons – Peyton Krebs – Kyle Okposo
Defense
Rasmus Dahlin – Mattias Samuelsson
Owen Power – Ryan Johnson
Connor Clifton – Erik Johnson
Goaltenders
Devon Levi, Eric Comrie, Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen (projected starter)
Pittsburgh Penguins
Forwards
Jake Guentzel – Sidney Crosby – Bryan Rust
Reilly Smith – Evgeni Malkin – Vinnie Hinostroza
Drew O’Connor – Lars Eller – Radim Zohorna
Matt Nieto – Noel Acciari- Jeff Carter
Defense
Ryan Graves – Kris Letang
Marcus Pettersson – Erik Karlsson
Ryan Shea – Chad Ruhwedel
Goaltenders
Tristan Jarry, Alex Nedeljkovic