Welcome back to SabresHub, everyone! What a time to be a Buffalo hockey fan.
Our Buffalo Sabres are flying high. Sitting in first place in the Atlantic Division with an incredible 48-23-8 record and 104 points, the boys just pulled off a gutsy 5-3 comeback win against the Rangers last night. Even though things looked a bit messy early on with some sloppy puck handling, the team completely flipped the script in the final twenty minutes. They heavily outshot New York in the third period and sealed the deal with clutch goals from Alex Tuch, Jason Zucker, and Zach Benson.
Tuch noted after the game that the team finally got back to their true identity in that final period by playing fast, keeping things simple, and causing absolute chaos right in front of the opposing goaltender.
Now, the Sabres face a quick turnaround as they host the Columbus Blue Jackets tonight at KeyBank Center. Here is everything you need to know to get ready for puck drop.
Mastering the Back-to-Back
Tonight is the second game of a “back-to-back.” For those new to the hockey grind, this simply means playing two intense games in two straight days. It usually makes players extremely tired, and teams often struggle to find their legs.
However, our Sabres have been absolute warriors in these situations. They hold a fantastic 8-1-3 record when playing on the second night of a back-to-back this year. That kind of resilience is exactly why they have earned points in 25 of their last 31 games and officially clinched a playoff spot last week for the first time since the 2010-11 season.
If Buffalo can win their final three games of the regular season, they will reach 110 points, perfectly matching the legendary 2005-06 squad.
The Push for Home-Ice Advantage
The standings are tight, but Buffalo currently holds a two-point lead for the top spot in the Atlantic Division. Tonight is huge because our rivals, Tampa Bay and Montreal, are playing against each other. A favorable result in that game, combined with a Sabres win, would push us much closer to securing home-ice advantage.
Home-ice advantage just means that if a playoff series goes to a decisive Game 7, that final, critical game gets to be played right here in Buffalo. Zucker expressed how vital our fanbase has been this year, noting that the team wants to play as many games in front of us as possible while building total confidence heading into Game 1.
Roster Updates and Crease Questions
With the quick turnaround, we are likely going to see some changes in net. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen needs a well-deserved rest after playing last night. The tricky part is that Alex Lyon tweaked something in his lower body during yesterday’s morning skate. If Lyon cannot go tonight, we will likely see Colten Ellis step in to make his first start in the crease since early February.
On the skater front, head coach Lindy Ruff confirmed that Jordan Greenway will return to the lineup tonight after sitting out the game in New York. We will keep an eye out for any further updates after the evening warmups, especially concerning injured guys like Sam Carrick and Noah Ostlund.
Players Sizzling Hot
Buffalo’s offense is firing on all cylinders right now. In fact, we have 13 different players with double-digit goals this year, which is the most of any team in the entire NHL. Here are a few guys to keep a close eye on tonight:
- Jason Zucker: He has scored the game-winning goal in two straight games. If he scores the winner tonight, he will be the first player in Sabres franchise history to hit three game-winning goals in a row. He already leads the team with seven on the year!
- Zach Benson: The young forward is coming off a fantastic two-goal performance against the Rangers. He has hit a career-high 12 goals this season, finding the back of the net five times in just his last ten outings.
- Tage Thompson & Rasmus Dahlin: These two absolutely love playing against Columbus. Thompson has scored more goals against the Blue Jackets than any other player in Sabres history, racking up 17 points in 15 career games against them. Dahlin is right there with him, holding the franchise record for assists against Columbus.
- Alex Tuch: After tying the game last night, Tuch is sitting at 198 career goals. He is incredibly close to hitting that massive 200-goal milestone.
Scouting the Desperate Blue Jackets
Do not let their 39-27-12 record fool you. The Blue Jackets are the only team in the Eastern Conference that the Sabres have not figured out how to beat yet this season. Columbus took us down in overtime back in October and then handed us a rough 5-1 loss in January to snap our ten-game winning streak.
They are fighting for their playoff lives right now. After hiring Rick Bowness as their head coach this winter, they went on a massive hot streak. Even though they recently hit a wall and lost six in a row, they bounced back with a gritty shootout win in Detroit on Tuesday. They are sitting just two points out of the final wild-card playoff spot, meaning they are going to hit the ice tonight playing desperate, high-energy hockey.
How to Catch the Action
- Puck Drop: 7:00 P.M. at KeyBank Center
- Television: MSG (Pregame coverage kicks off at 6:30 P.M.)
- Streaming: Gotham Sports App
- Radio: WGR 550 or the Buffalo Sabres App
Let’s pack the arena, get loud, and help the boys finally take down Columbus this season. Let’s go Buffalo!
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