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Sabres vs. Leafs preview: Best lineup yet takes on veteran Leafs

Preseason Game #5

Buffalo Sabres (3-1-0) at
Toronto Maple Leafs (3-2-0)

Puck Drop: 7:00 pm EST | First Niagara Center | Buffalo, NY

TV: TSN4 | Radio: WGR 550

SB Nation Maple Leafs Blog: Pension Plan Puppets

The Sabres will be back home to play for the first time since last Wednesday, and this time they’ll have arguably the most exciting lineup yet this season. Not only will the Sabres top line be on the ice, but Jack Eichel and Sam Reinhart will be as well.

On defense, Rasmus Ristolainen is back from injury and will be playing with Carlo Colaiacovo tonight (boy, is that a lot of letters on one pairing). Brendan Guhle once again will be in the Sabres lineup.

Robin Lehner is expected to play the entire game in goal. Dan Bylsma said earlier in the preseason that he expected to get both Lehner and Chad Johnson a full game each. Johnson got his full game against Ottawa.

The Sabres will be facing a veteran heavy Leafs lineup, including James van Riemsdyk, Tyler Bozak, Joffrey Lupul, Nazem Kadri, Dion Phaneuf, Morgan Rielly and Jake Gardiner. Jonathan Bernier and James Reimer will split time in net. It isn’t surprising that both teams look more like the real NHL lineup than their last meeting, since the teams have begun making cuts to the training camp rosters.

Projected BUF lines

Kane – R. O’Reilly – Ennis
Moulson – Eichel -Gionta
Reinhart – C. O’Reilly – Rodrigues
Deslauriers – Legwand – Foligno

Donovan – Franson
Colaicovo – Ristolainen
Guhle – Weber

Goal: Robin Lehner

Projected TOR lines

van Riemsdyk – Bozak – Boyes
Matthias – Kadri – Lupul
Brown – Nylander -Clune
Grabner – Spaling – Parenteau

Hunwick – Phaneuf
Gardiner – Reilly
Marincin – Harrington

Goal: Jonathan Bernier