Game #29
Buffalo Sabres (11-13-4) vs. New York Rangers (14-12-1)
Puck Drop: 7:00 PM EDT | Keybank Center, Buffalo NY
TV: TNT, truTV, Max
Know Your Opponent
New York Rangers
Record: 14-12-1 | 29 PTS
Last Game: 2-1 loss to the Blackhawks
Division Ranking: 4th, Metropolitan
PP: 13th, 22.5% (16/71 opps) [Sabres: 30th, 14.8% (12/81 opps)]
PK: 2nd, 85.9% (73/85 killed) [Sabres: 13th, 80.2% (69/86 killed)]
1. Do Something… Anything?!
We’re now officially in Do Something Darcy territory. Do anything. Trade a 4th liner even, just show that you’re actually watching and paying attention to what is happening here. Apparently the GM is obliged to hold a press conference if members of the media request an availability, so then keep mashing that redial button and ask Kevyn Adams what he’s actively doing to better this team after every game.
This doesn’t let anyone else off the hook either. Lindy Ruff, what are you doing? You threatened to move non-functioning centers like Dylan Cozens to the wing right? Go one better, bench him. You commended Jiri Kulich on his game and then sat him in the press box? Put him back in the lineup. Your assistant coaches are looking like morons, light a fire under them. Do something. Bag skates every morning and evening until they win again. Something, anything.
Any veterans not named Jason Zucker.. stand up and be counted. Show you’re not content to just sit around and be a failure.
2. Battle of the Moribund
The Sabres have lost seven straight, and now are 3-4-3 in the last ten games. The Rangers bizarrely enough have been worse, going 2-8-0 in that same span.
In some ways, the expectations to be in a playoff position are lower for a team that has been awful for thirteen previous seasons while the visitors tonight have been considered Stanley Cup favorites in many quarters, so expect the Rangers to come in hot tonight against a host that has been abysmal during this homestand.
3. Power Play Struggling Again
What is going on with this power play? They started the season poorly, going 0-for-22 in the month of October. Then they started looking competent again when they scored in seven straight games going 11 goals from 37 opportunities. And then pretty much from just before Thanksgiving, and crucially when Tage Thompson went out injured, they’ve returned to futility with a 1-for-25 record since then. With Rasmus Dahlin also out now, some of it is understandable, but then not an excuse either.
Buffalo Sabres
Forwards
JJ Peterka – Tage Thompson – Alex Tuch
Zach Benson – Peyton Krebs – Dylan Cozens
Jordan Greenway – Ryan McLeod – Jason Zucker
Beck Malenstyn – Tyler Kozak – Nicolas Aube-Kubel
Defense
Ryan Johnson – Bowen Byram
Owen Power – Henri Jokiharju
Jacob Bryson – Connor Clifton
*(Mattias Samuelsson is expected to play again, but who will he replace? Bryson? Johnson?)
Goalies: Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen (projected starter), James Reimer
New York Rangers
Forwards
Artemi Panarin – Vincent Trocheck – Alexis Lafrenière
Chris Kreider – Mika Zibanejad – Reilly Smith
Will Cuylle – Filip Chytil – Kaapo Kakko
Adam Edstrom – Sam Carrick – Brett Berard
Defense
Ryan Lindgren – Adam Fox
K’Andre Miller – Braden Schneider
Zac Jones – Victor Mancini
Goalies:
Igor Shesterkin (projected starter), Jonathan Quick
