Game 68

Buffalo Sabres (24-33-10) vs. Winnipeg Jets (32-25-10)

Puck Drop: 7:00 PM EST | KeyBank Center | Buffalo, NY

TV: ESPN+

Radio: WGR 550

SB Nation Jets Blog: Arctic Ice Hockey

Know Your Opponent

Winnipeg Jets

Record: 32-25-10 | 74 PTS

Last Game: 2-1 OT win vs. Coyotes

Division Ranking: 6th in Central Division

PP: 14th (21.8%)

PK: 26th (75.3%)

What to Watch

1. Going Streaking

There seems to be a trend with the Sabres lately: extra time on the ice and finding a way to snag some points. Buffalo has earned 10 points in their last six games (4-0-2) and gone into overtime during four of those games. This is also the first time the team has been on a six-game point streak since the first six games of the 2019-2020 season and Monday’s game was the first time Buffalo won in Chicago since the Ryan Miller days of 2007. Are the Sabres finally fun to watch again?! They sure are.

On Monday night, the team also made a bit of history as they came back from a four-goal deficit and won - a feat they have not conquered since a 1989 matchup against Boston and have achieved only four times in franchise history. Coincidentally, the Jets have won in overtime during their last two games, so tonight’s game should be an interesting one.

2. Goalofsson

Though Tage Thompson, Jeff Skinner, and Kyle Okposo have been killing it offensively lately, let’s take a moment to recognize Victor Olofsson, who had a very slow start to this season. In the Sabres’ last 10 games, Olofsson has netted five goals - two of which were on Monday against the Blackhawks. It was nice to see him back in his sweet spot on the side of the net and perhaps he will keep the momentum going tonight.

3. Who’s Hot in Winnipeg?

The Jets are 7-3-0 in their last 10, averaging 3.5 goals per game. Hot players include defenseman Brenden Dillon - who leads Winnipeg with a plus-16 in 64 games - and forward Kyle Connor, who has 41 goals(!) so far this season. Connor has seven goals and 11 assists over these last 10, so Buffalo’s defense will want to be all over him tonight.

Projected Lineups

Buffalo Sabres

Forwards

Jeff Skinner - Tage Thompson - Alex Tuch

Peyton Krebs - Dylan Cozens - Vinnie Hinostroza

Rasmus Asplund - Casey Mittelstadt - Victor Olofsson

Zemgus Girgensons - Cody Eakin - Kyle Okposo

Defense

Rasmus Dahlin - Henri Jokiharju

Mark Pysyk - Jacob Bryson

Will Butcher - Casey Fitzgerald

Starting Goaltender: Craig Anderson

Winnipeg Jets

Forwards

Paul Stastny - Mark Scheifele - Nikolaj Ehlers

Kyle Connor - Pierre-Luc Dubois - Blake Wheeler

Zach Sanford - Adam Lowry - Mason Appleton

Jansen Harkins - Dominic Toninato - Evgeny Svechnikov

Defense

Josh Morrissey - Dylan DeMelo

Brenden Dillon - Neal Pionk

Ville Heinola - Nate Schmidt

Starting Goaltender: Connor Hellebuyck (expected)