Game #19

Buffalo Sabres (6-8-4) vs Calgary Flames (8-11-1)

Puck drop: 7:00 p.m. EST | KeyBank Center | Buffalo, NY

TV: MSG-B, SNW | Radio: WGR 550

SB Nation’s Flames Blog: Matchsticks & Gasoline

Two Questions

1. Will Robin Lehner give the Sabres the same strong performance his counterpart has?

Anders Nilsson will start later this week, Dan Bylsma confirmed, but Lehner gets the start tonight despite Nilsson’s heroics against the Penguins. Lehner is 0-4-1 in his past five games and could use a strong effort, and a win, tonight.

2. Will the Sabres ever score more than one goal again?

If they’re going to, tonight would be a good chance. The Flames are fifth-worst in the NHL, giving up 3.20 goals per game. Brian Elliott is expected to start in net tonight, and he’s scporting a not-very-robust .882 save percentage and is giving up 3.36 goals per game. C’mon boys, we know you can do it.

Projected BUF Lines

9 Evander Kane – 22 Johan Larsson – 21 Kyle Okposo
82 Marcus Foligno – 23 Sam Reinhart – 12 Brian Gionta
28 Zemgus Girgensons – 19 – Cal O’Reilly – 26 Matt Moulson
48 William Carrier – 27 Derek Grant – 10 Cole Schneider

4 Josh Gorges – 55 Rasmus Ristolainen
29 Jake McCabe – 6 Cody Franson
41 Justin Falk – 38 Taylor Fedun

Goal: 40 Robin Lehner