Sabres Stop in Seattle to Complete Trip Out West

Buffalo Sabres (4-1-0) vs. Seattle Kraken (2-3-2)

Puck Drop: 10:00 PM EST | Local weather Pledge Area | Seattle, WA

TV: MSG

Radio: WGR 550

SB Nation Kraken Weblog: Davy Jones Locker Room

Know Your Opponent

Seattle Kraken

File: (2-3-2)

Final Sport: 5-4 loss @ Blackhawks

Division Rating: T-Third in Pacific Division

PP: 25% (thirteenth)

PK: 64% (thirtieth)

What to Watch

1. Protection Core Banged Up

Whereas Buffalo has been lucky to be damage free on offense to this point this season, the protection has not been so fortunate. Henri Jokiharju took a puck to the face on Thursday evening in Calgary, whereas Mattias Samuelsson went down with a leg damage Saturday evening in Vancouver. Each gamers have been positioned on IR. The Sabres do have a little bit of depth on protection, with Casey Fitzgerald and Lawrence Pilut having sufficient expertise to fill in, however Buffalo has began to turn out to be skinny on the place. Kale Clague was additionally introduced up from Rochester as insurance coverage and can more than likely be a wholesome scratch tonight in Seattle. Fortunately for Buffalo, neither Jokiharju or Samuelsson might be out for the long run, which is reassuring. Beginning with tonight in Seattle and over the following few weeks, it is going to be take a look at to see how the Sabres younger protection core holds up with the brand new additions to the lineup.

2. Sizzling Streaks

Rasmus Dahlin has been on absolute fireplace to start out the season. However don’t neglect about Alex Tuch both. Whereas Dahls has put up 8 factors over the primary 5 video games (with targets in 5 straight), Tuch is on a 4 sport level streak as nicely, and leads the crew with 6 targets. Each gamers are on the prime of the league in statistics, as Tuch is tied for second general in targets, whereas Dahlin leads all defensemen in each targets and factors. That is precisely the form of manufacturing Sabres followers need to see from their #1 general choose in 2018 and a participant they acquired when buying and selling away a prized participant like Jack Eichel. Towards Seattle tonight, there’s no cause to imagine both participant might be slowed on manufacturing, because the Kraken have allowed the sixth highest GAA this season at a mean of just about 4 per sport.

3. What Is Going Effectively, and What Can Be Improved On

Buffalo has carried out way more good this season than dangerous, and could have alternatives to enhance their flawed areas towards Seattle. The Sabres have exceled this season within the offensive zone at 5v5, creating intensive offensive zone stress in each sport they’ve performed, leading to a mean of 4.4 targets per sport (good for second within the NHL). As I beforehand talked about, Seattle has allowed the sixth most targets per sport (27 complete), and has the worst faceoff share within the league, so Buffalo ought to be capable of create stress and generate scoring probabilities no downside. One of many few issues the Sabres have carried out poorly this yr has been capitalizing on the ability play, to this point going 3 for 18 with the person benefit. Given the weapons this crew has, particularly from a taking pictures perspective, having the twenty first ranked powerplay isn’t adequate. Fortunately for Buffalo, Seattle has the third worst penalty kill, permitting a aim 36% of the time when down a person. If there was ever an evening for the Sabres to get some chemistry going and enhance their numbers on the powerplay, tonight is completely the evening to do it.

Projected Lineups

Buffalo Sabres

Forwards

Jeff Skinner – Tage Thompson – Alex Tuch

Rasmus Asplund – Casey Mittelstadt – Victor Olofsson

JJ Peterka – Dylan Cozens – Vinnie Hinostroza

Jack Quinn – Zemgus Girgensons – Kyle Okposo

Protection

Rasmus Dahlin – Ilya Lyubushkin

Owen Energy – Jacob Bryson

Lawrence Pilut – Casey Fitzgerald

Goaltenders: Craig Anderson, Eric Comrie (projected starter)

Scratches: Peyton Krebs, Riley Sheahan, Kale Clague

Accidents: Henri Jokiharju, Mattias Samuelsson

Seattle Kraken

Forwards

Andre Burakovsky – Alex Wennberg – Oliver Bjorkstrand

Jaden Schwartz – Matty Beniers – Jordan Eberle

Jared McCann – Yanni Gourde – Karson Kuhlman

Brandon Tanev – Morgan Geekie – Daniel Sprong

Protection

Vince Dunn – Adam Larsson

Jamie Oleksiak – Justin Schultz

Carson Soucy – Will Borgen

Goaltenders: Martin Jones (projected starter), Joey Daccord

Scratches: Ryan Donato, Cale Fleury, Shane Wright

Accidents: Joonas Donskoi, Philipp Grubauer