The Buffalo Sabres will be playing on home ice tonight, of sorts. For the second consecutive pre-season, the team will play a game at Pegula Ice Arena, the venue built with $102 million donated by Sabres owners Terry & Kim Pegula to Penn State University.
Game #2 (Preseason)
Buffalo Sabres (0-0-1) vs. Pittsburgh Penguins (0-0-0)
Puck drop: 7 p.m. EST | Pegula Ice Arena | University Park, PA
TV: None
Radio: WGR 550
SB Nation Penguins blog: Pensburgh
Three Questions
1. How will Jason Pominville fare on the same line as Jack Eichel?
We saw half the roster in action last night, and the other half hits the ice tonight. Of great interest will be how Pommers does playing with Eichel. The third member of that line will be Evander Kane, can the Sabres star center keep them both well-fed and happy with the puck?
2. How good are Nathan Beaulieu and Victor Antipin?
The two defensemen have been heralded as key pieces of the Sabre defense revamp, but how will they do with big minutes? While it may not be fair for them to have this much expectation placed on their shoulders, it’s the nature of the NHL as they will be expected to slot right in immediately.
3. Griffith vs Bailey, or Griffith + Bailey?
Two of the better players in last night’s loss against the Hurricanes were Seth Griffith and Justin Bailey, and the pair will get another shot tonight as well. Griffith has proven himself at the AHL level, though he has struggled to hold down a roster spot in the NHL. Local boy Bailey played in 32 games for the Sabres last season, and while his hard skating style is in no doubt, does he have the consistency to make the roster out of the gate?
Projected Sabres Lines
9 Evander Kane – 15 Jack Eichel – 29 Jason Pominville
26 Matt Moulson – 22 Johan Larsson – 24 Hudson Fasching
25 Seth Griffith – 10 Jacob Josefson – 13 Nicholas Baptiste
44 Nicolas Deslauriers – 12 Kevin Porter – 95 Justin Bailey
82 Nathan Beaulieu – 47 Zach Bogosian
41 Justin Falk – 93 Victor Antipin
4 Josh Gorges – 5 Matt Tennyson
Goalies –
31 Chad Johnson
32 Adam Wilcox