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Sabres vs. Lightning preview: NHL’s top offense comes to Buffalo

Posted on by Zachary Zielonka

Game #25

Buffalo Sabres (8-14-2) vs.
Tamp Bay Lightning (17-6-2)

Puck Drop: 7:30 pm EST | First Niagara Center | Buffalo, NY

TV: NBCSN | Radio: WGR 550

SB Nation Lightning Blog: Raw Charge

The Buffalo Sabres finished out the month on November winning five of their last six games, with some coming in impressive fashion. The team starts the month of December with a home matchup against the league’s most potent offense in the Tampa Bay Lightning. The Lightning are coming into the game averaging 3.60 goals/game and just dismantled the New York Rangers 6-3 at MSG on Monday night.

The Sabres are coming off back to back wins against the other team tied with Tampa Bay for the best record in the league, the Montreal Canadiens. The biggest change to the lineup for the Sabres will be the return of Josh Gorges. Gorges missed the last seven games with a knee injury but was skating on the top line in practice on Monday and should be ready to go for game time.

Three Questions

1.) How will the Sabres fare against Evgeni Nabokov?

If there has been one Achilles’ heel for the Tampa Bay Lightning, it has come at the backup goaltender position. Of the team’s 25 games played this season, Nabokov has only started in five of them. He comes into the game with a 2-3 record, 3.71 goals against average, and .870 save percentage. With the way that the Sabres offense has seemed to have found some momentum, the team may be able to tee off on Nabokov.

2.) Can Jhonas Enroth hold up?

Enroth will be appearing in his sixth straight game and fourth game in six days. During that stretch, he has been playing solid hockey, going 4-1 in that stretch and allowing one goal in three of those five games. As mentioned before though, the Lightning know how to find the back of the net.

3.) Can Matt Moulson find the back of the net tonight?

In his career, Moulson has 13 points (6 goals and 7 assists) in 14 career games against the Lightning and this season has scored in three of the last six games. If the recent patterns hold, Moulson is due for a goal tonight.

Projected BUF Lineup

Moulson – Girgensons – Ennis

Flynn – Mitchell – Gionta
Deslauriers – Foligno – Stewart

Schaller – Hodgson – Kaleta

Gorges – Myers
Zadorov – Ristolainen

Weber – Benoit

Goal: Jhonas Enroth

Talking Points