bob_sauve28

Do you really want to hurt me? Go Sabres!! The Buffalo Sabres begin a three-game road trip Saturday night versus the Washington Capitals at Capital One Arena. After going winless on their five-game homestand and in eight-straight games overall (0-5-3), the Sabres hope this trip can help them right the ship and climb back in the Eastern Conference playoff race. “I think they’re all feeling it,” coach Lindy Ruff said. “They’re all feeling the effects of losing and losing at home. My job is to try to keep the spirit in the right place.” “Change of scenery is always great,” said Sabres forward – and former Capital – Beck Malenstyn. “Going in against a good team in a hard building is a great challenge. I think it makes it really easy to get up to the game and really dial in everyone’s mental focus, going in knowing it’s going to be a great challenge.” Here’s what you need to know before Saturday’s 7 p.m. puck drop. Lineup notes Captain Rasmus Dahlin (back spasms) is expected to miss a fifth-straight game. Read the latest on the defenseman's recovery progress in Friday’s practice report. Forward Jordan Greenway, still dealing with soreness from his recent middle-body injury, also missed Friday’s practice but has not been ruled out for Saturday’s game. Sam Lafferty (lower body) returned to practice Friday and could re-enter the lineup at some point this weekend, Ruff said. Lafferty last played Nov. 29 versus Vancouver. Stay tuned during the 11:30 a.m. morning skate for potential updates on Dahlin, Greenway and Lafferty. Here are the lines from Friday’s practice: Ooops, no practice lines, sorry 1. A Powerful third period Buffalo’s late comeback bid fell short in Wednesday’s 3-2 loss to the Rangers, but not for a lack of scoring opportunities. The Sabres scored twice in the period – Owen Power at 5-on-5, Tage Thompson at 6-on-5 in the final minute. According to Natural Stat Trick, Buffalo held a 12-2 advantage in third-period scoring chances and 7-2 in high-danger scoring chances. “With the number of opportunities in the third period, you should really score three or four goals,” Ruff said. “We have to start finishing more. That is, the inside plays that we were making, getting around the net and just hitting the net more on key opportunities. We're still a team that misses the net too much.” Power, benched for much of the opening period after his failed clear led to New York’s first goal, returned to the ice and led the Sabres’ late attack. Buffalo owned a 62.5-percent share of shot attempts with Power on the ice Wednesday; in that regard, it was the 22-year-old’s most effective game since Nov. 23 at San Jose (65.7 percent). “I thought Owen, his second half of the game was fantastic,” Ruff said. “Just his puck play – his puck play and his reads to get available. He took one to the net that led to chaos where he had a couple opportunities. Some of his offensive physicality, like boxing people out and taking the puck up high for us, were really good.” On Power’s goal, his fourth of the season and first since Nov. 1, he received a short Peyton Krebs pass at the blue line, skated into the slot and fired a shot off the post and in behind Igor Shesterkin. Continued offensive involvement from Power and more on-target shots from the entire team will be key for Buffalo to not only drive play more consistently, but also convert those prime scoring chances into goals.

He's good, knows he made a mistake. It's life, he will be fine

The Amerks PP sucks too? We have no PP talent in the whole organization? 🤷‍♀️

Oh whatever. Was the puck tipped before he shot it? I heard one of the announcers say that afterward but did not look back at it.

The New Day!

Hey! Maybe someday we will look back on this and it will all seem funny! Love that song and that line! 👍

I was never a big Thomas Vanek fan, but we sure could use a guy like that now. Goes to the front of net, great hands for tipping, shooting, faking and passing. (I don't think he was worth four first rounders, but still) Fix the PP and things will get better. I remember when we traded for Gary Galley just for this reason, and he was ok.

Nah, just fix the power play. A team with the 30th ranked PP of course is going to lose lots of one goal games

Can he take Payton Krebs spot on the PP?

Again, fix the power play. 30th ranked pp. No PP goals in last..well, however long its been, and all loses. NY converted their first PP and never looked back. We didn't, and looked back

They really do play like the youngest team in the league

Owen!!!!!!!

Is Krebs a PP guy? 🤷‍♀️

Clutching sticks too tightly

Sure hope we get a goal tonight, its looking like that will be tough to come by

We got this!

Oh god, I have a terrible feeling we will take the lead here

Let's go Buffalo!

https://www.sportsbookreview.com/picks/nhl/rangers-vs-sabres-prediction-picks-odds-dec-11-2024/ Wednesday's matchup at KeyBank Center (7 p.m., TNT) features two foremost experts on putting on a brave face despite continually getting open-hand slapped. The New York Rangers have the unenviable record of NHL's worst team over the last 10 games (2-8-0), while the Buffalo Sabres share that dubious dishonor since Nov. 27, losing seven in a row during that span. Buffalo has lost all four games in its five-game homestand, wrapping things up Wednesday before heading on the road for three. Meanwhile, after starting the season 7-1-0 in enemy rinks, the Rangers enter the game on the back of four straight road losses. Despite their league-worst 10-game slide, the Rangers are among the Stanley Cup odds favorites. Our Rangers vs. Sabres prediction backs Artemi Panarin to get on the scoresheet.

Come on, if the team is talented enough to take big leads on other teams then they are talented enough to hold the lead. Sorry, this one is on the coach. Why does he still have the left over on his staff from the last (failed) regime? New coach with a big broom. Sweep it clean

Where will it be? Somewhere near, "Buffalo an all-American city" ?

Progress

The sun will come up tomorrow….