For the third time this season, the Sabres and Maple Leafs will square off, with the season series tied 1-1. In fact, the last time the Sabres won a game? Against the Leafs, in Ted Nolan’s debut.
The Sabres are mired in the midst of a five game losing streak, and are hoping that a player swap can help spark them to victory. On Wednesday, the team claimed Matt D’Agostini off waivers from Pittsburgh, and to make room, they put Corey Tropp on waivers, hoping he would sneak through to Rochester. Unfortunately, Tropp was claimed yesterday by Columbus, and will be starting for them tonight.
Toronto, for their part, is coming off of a bad shootout loss to the Penguins where they blew (another) three goal third period lead. They’ll have to go tonight without King Joffrey Lupul and Dave Bolland, while the Sabres are looking to get Cody McCormick back tomorrow.
Game #27
Buffalo Sabres (5-20-1) vs. Toronto Maple Leafs (14-9-2)
Puck Drop – 7:30pm EST – First Niagara Center – Buffalo, NY
TV – MSG, Bell, RDS | Radio – WGR 550-AM
SBNation Leafs Blog – Pension Plan Puppets
Three Questions
1. How will Matt D’Agostini look in his Sabres debut?
The Sabres effectively traded Corey Tropp for Matt D’Agostini via waivers yesterday, and the newest member of the blue and gold will make his debut tonight, likely on a line with Steve Ott and Ville Leino.
Tropp was a popular young player here thanks to his work ethic and (theoretical) potential, so D’Agostini will have big (theoretical) shoes to fill. He’ll be wearing #27 tonight, so make sure to keep an eye on him in his Sabres debut.
2. Can Mike Weber return with the consistency he has yet to display this year?
Mike Weber’s season has been a disappointment, to say the least, but tonight he’s back in the lineup for Brayden McNabb. The Sabres could certainly use more consistency in their lives, and that was supposed to be Weber’s forte when he signed his three year contract extension this summer. If he can start to prove that his time in the press box did him good, he might be able to start solidifying his place in the starting roster once again.
3. Can the Sabres score more than one goal tonight?
They haven’t been able to in any of their last four games…
Projected BUF Lines
Matt Moulson – Cody Hodgson – Drew Stafford
Matt D’Agostini – Ville Leino – Steve Ott
Zemgus Girgensons – Tyler Ennis – Luke Adam
Marcus Foligno – Brian Flynn – John Scott
Christian Ehrhoff – Alexander Sulzer
Henrik Tallinder – Tyler Myers
Mike Weber – Mark Pysyk
Goal: Ryan Miller
Scratches/Injuries: McNabb, McBain, McCormick