Game 3

Buffalo Sabres (2-0-0) at Columbus Blue Jackets (0-2-0)

Puck Drop: 7:00 PM EST | Nationwide Arena | Columbus, OH

TV: MSG-B

Radio: WGR 550

SB Nation Blue Jackets Blog: Jackets Cannon

Know Your Opponent

Columbus Blue Jackets

Record: (0-2-0) | 0 PTS

Last 10: 0-2-0

Division Ranking: 8th in Metropolitan Division

Conference Ranking: 16th in Eastern Conference

PP: 20th (16.7%)

PK: 23rd (66.67%)

What to Watch

Winless Jackets

Columbus comes into tonight’s game looking for their first win on the young season. After a 4-1 loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs on opening night, their second outing was an ugly 7-2 loss to the rival Pittsburgh Penguins.

No doubt that the Blue Jackets will come out firing on all cylinders tonight but can they reverse their fortunes against the red-hot Sabres?

Fourth Line, Best Line?

Buffalo’s much-maligned fourth line has turned out to be one of their strongest shut-down lines through two games.

The Girgensons – Larsson – Okposo line has been the best overall with Corsi – ranking around 69% against the Penguins and around 74% against the Devils.

Kyle Okposo leads the Sabres with a Corsi For percentage at even strength of 77.8%. Johan Larsson is third on the team with 67.9% and Zemgus Girgensons is fourth with a 66.7%.

As they say – if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.

Victor the Great

Victor Olofsson came into this season with expectations the size of the moon. We knew he could score, judging by his cup of coffee in Buffalo along with his time in Rochester last season.

Last game against the Devils, Olofsson was showing off his greatest asset – his shot.

Through two games, Olofsson has two goals and one assist. It is clear that he is gelling with the uber-talented Jack Eichel and Sam Reinhart.

The sky is truly the limit for this kid.

Game Prediction

Buffalo Sabres

Forwards

Victor Olofsson – Jack Eichel – Sam Reinhart

Jeff Skinner – Marcus Johansson – Vladimir Sobotka

Jimmy Vesey – Casey Mittelstadt – Conor Sheary

Zemgus Girgensons – Johan Larsson – Kyle Okposo

Defense

Rasmus Dahlin – Colin Miller

Jake McCabe – Rasmus Ristolainen

Marco Scandella – Henri Jokiharju

Starting Goaltender (projected): Carter Hutton

Columbus Blue Jackets

Forwards

Alexandre Texier – Pierre-Luc Dubois – Cam Atkinson

Nick Foligno – Boone Jenner – Josh Anderson

Gustav Nyquist – Alexander Wennberg – Oliver Bjorkstrand

Jakob Lilja – Riley Nash – Emil Bemstrom

Defense

Ryan Murray – Seth Jones

Zach Werenski – David Savard

Scott Harrington – Markus Nutivaara

Starting Goaltender: Starting Goaltender (projected): Joonas Korpisalo