The Sabres hope to bounce back in the first of a Florida back-to-back.
Game 56
Buffalo Sabres (28-23-4) vs. Tampa Bay Lightning (36-17-3)
Puck Drop: 7:00 PM ET | Amalie Arena
TV: MSG
Radio: WGR-550
SB Nation Lightning Blog: Raw Charge
Know Your Opponent
Tampa Bay Lightning
Record: (36-17-3)
Last Game: 6-1 win over the Anaheim Ducks
Division Ranking: 3rd in the Atlantic Division
PP: 25.8% (3rd)
PK: 81.5% (10th)
What to Watch
1. Offensive Threats
The Lightning have a few key players to watch on the offensive side of tonight’s game. Nikita Kucherov has 80 points in just 56 games, including 59 assists – a critical playmaker for Tampa. Brayden Point has notched 61 points (33-28), while Steven Stamkos has 59 points. Alex Killorn, Brandon Hagel and Victor Hedman are other notables.
On the Sabres side, in case you need a reminder, Tage Thompson leads the team with 72 points (36-36), of course. Alex Tuch, who just recently notched his 100th career NHL goal, has 61 points in just 55 games. Rasmus Dahlin has 60 points, while Jeff Skinner has 54 on the season. Dylan Cozens is nearing the 50-point mark as well.
2. Winning Ways
The Lightning will certainly provide a formidable challenge for the Sabres. They’ve won four of their last six games, including a 5-0 win over the Colorado Avalanche on February 9 and the 6-1 win over Anaheim this past Tuesday.
This is a true time of challenge for the Sabres. We all saw what happened earlier this week against the Leafs, who are second in the Atlantic Division. The Lightning are third, three points back of Toronto. Tomorrow’s opponent, Florida, is fourth (11 points back of Tampa). These are a few critical games that will show us what the Sabres are truly made of, leading into Sunday’s matinee against the Capitals, an opponent in the wild card race.
3. It’s Comrie’s Turn
Eric Comrie is expected to get the start in goal on Thursday night, returning to the NHL crease for the first time since February 15 and just the fourth time since the calendar year turned. Comrie has appeared in 14 games this season with the Sabres, going 6-8 in that stretch. He has a 3.50 GAA and .883 save percentage, having allowed 47 goals on 401 shots faced.
Projected Lineups
Buffalo Sabres
Forwards
Jeff Skinner – Tage Thompson – Alex Tuch
JJ Peterka – Dylan Cozens – Victor Olofsson
Casey Mittelstadt – Peyton Krebs – Jack Quinn
Zemgus Girgensons – Tyson Jost – Kyle Okposo
Defense
Rasmus Dahlin – Henri Jokiharju
Mattias Samuelsson – Owen Power
Jacob Bryson – Ilya Lyubushkin
Kale Clague
Goaltenders: Eric Comrie (projected starter), Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, Craig Anderson
Tampa Bay Lightning
Forwards
Brandon Hagel – Brayden Point – Nikita Kucherov
Anthony Cirelli – Steven Stamkos – Alex Killorn
Ross Colton – Nick Paul – Patrick Maroon
Vladislav Namestnikov – Pierre-Edouard Bellemare – Corey Perry
Defense
Victor Hedman – Zach Bogosian
Mikhail Sergachev – Erik Cernak
Ian Cole – Nicklaus Perbix
Goaltenders: Andrei Vasilevskiy, Brian Elliott