Game 30

Buffalo Sabres (10-15-4) vs. Pittsburgh Penguins (15-8-5)

Puck Drop: 7:00 PM EST | PPG Paints Arena | Pittsburgh, PA

TV: MSG

Radio: WGR 550

SB Nation Penguins blog: Pensburgh

Know Your Opponent

Pittsburgh Penguins

Record: 15-8-5 | 35 PTS

Last Game: 5-2 win over Montreal

Division Ranking: 4th in Metropolitan Division

PP: 29th (15.2%)

PK: 1st (92.7%)

What to Watch

Making it Three

The Sabres are looking to make it three in a row tonight as they visit the Penguins, who are on a streak of their own. Buffalo hasn’t won three consecutive games since the beginning of the season. Buffalo squeaked out of Winnipeg with a 4-2 win, then snagged a shootout victory in a 3-2 decision in Minnesota last night. Time to wrap this thing up in Pittsburgh before coming home.

Old Friends

Former Sabres forward Evan Rodrigues is absolutely thriving in Pittsburgh, and actually leads (!) the Penguins in scoring. This season, in 28 games, Rodrigues has nine goals and 13 assists for 22 points, top across the board. He’s certainly found his stride with the Pens and will be one player the Sabres will need to limit tonight.

Chad Ruhwedel is also hanging out in Pittsburgh, having appeared in 24 games this season on the blueline.

A Future Note

Following tonight’s game which wraps up the road trip, the Sabres head home to host the Columbus Blue Jackets on Monday night. Next Wednesday’s scheduled game against the Colorado Avalanche has been postponed as the Avs deal with COVID-19 protocols, which has turned Buffalo’s upcoming schedule into a home-and-home with CBJ.

Projected Lineups

Buffalo Sabres

Forwards

Jeff Skinner - Tage Thompson - Victor Olofsson

Brett Murray - Dylan Cozens - Kyle Okposo

Rasmus Asplund - Cody Eakin - Vinnie Hinostroza

Zemgus Girgensons - Mark Jankowski - John Hayden

Defense

Rasmus Dahlin - Henri Jokiharju

Jacob Bryson - Colin Miller

Will Butcher - Mark Pysyk

Casey Fitzgerald

Starting Goalie: Malcolm Subban

Pittsburgh Penguins

Forwards

Kasperi Kapanen - Sidney Crosby - Evan Rodrigues

Jason Zucker - Jeff Carter - Danton Heinen

Zach Aston-Reese - Teddy Blueger - Brock McGinn

Drew O’Connor - Sam Lafferty - Dominik Simon

Defense

Brian Dumoulin - Kris Letang

Marcus Pettersson - John Marino

Mike Matheson - Chad Ruhwedel

Starting Goalie: Tristan Jarry