GDT: #75 - SABRES at AVALANCHE – SAT MAR 28 @ 9:00 PM ET – MSG-B, BELL TV – WGR

[26CornerBlitz]

vs.

SABRES (20-46-8) at AVALANCHE (34-28-12)

NHL.com Game Preview: Avalanche host Sabres, who won't have Ennis

[nhl]792153[/nhl]

Season series: Alex Tanguay had three points (two goals, one assist) in a 5-1 Colorado Avalanche victory at the Buffalo Sabres on Dec. 20. Jarome Iginla had three assists. Johan Larsson scored for the Sabres.

Sabres Digital Press Box Game Preview: 3/28/15 at COL

CURRENT INJURIES – (Man Games Lost: 303)
Player (injury, first game missed) – total games missed
Cody McCormick (lower body, Jan. 13; injured reserve) – 31 games
Josh Gorges (lower body, Feb. 15; injured reserve) – 19 games
Evander Kane (shoulder, Feb. 15; injured reserve) – 19 games
Zemgus Girgensons (lower body, Feb. 26; injured reserve) – 13 games
Chad Johnson (lower body, March 6) – 10 games
Jerry D’Amigo (upper body, March 23) – 2 games

TRANSACTIONS IN PAST 7 DAYS
3/23: Recalled F Tim Schaller from Rochester (AHL)
3/25: Assigned F Tim Schaller to Rochester (AHL)
3/26: Activated F Patrick Kaleta from IR
3/27: Recalled F Tim Schaller from Rochester (AHL)

UPCOMING GAMES
Monday, March 30: Buffalo at Arizona, 10 p.m.
Wednesday, April 1: Toronto at Buffalo, 7:30 p.m.
Friday, April 3: Chicago at Buffalo, 7 p.m.
Saturday, April 4: Buffalo at NY Islanders, 7 p.m.
Monday, April 6: Carolina at Buffalo, 7 p.m.

TONIGHT’S GAME

SABRES at AVALANCHE
This is the second of two meetings between the Sabres and Avalanche this season.
Last meeting: Colorado defeated Buffalo, 5-1, in Buffalo
The Sabres are 2-4-4 in their last 10 games vs. the Avalanche; 5-3-2 on the road.
This is the 137th game all-time between Buffalo and Colorado; Buffalo has a 59-53-24 series record.
The Sabres are 23-32-13 on the road against the Avalanche all-time.

Click to read more...

 

[Kublakhan]

Just lose ??

 

[joshjull]

10 mins too much.

 

[26CornerBlitz]

 

[mikemcburn]

Wouldn't be surprised if Ennis magically turns up ready to rumble for the game. I can just see it so.

If not though, I'd guess the lines go as

Moulson - Larsson - Gionta
Folingo - Grigorenko - Des
Dalpe - Varone/Schaller - Hodgson
Varone/Schaller - Ellis - Kaleta

Yeah, I realize Hodgson moved up to the 2nd line last game but the standard so far is that he only gets the sniff if a forward goes down mid-game, and by the next he's straight back to the 3rd/4th. Just not seeing Nolan putting much stock into Varone or Schaller, so bets on it being Des who gets the promo.

Zads gotta be sitting, if Nolan's latest media commentary is anything to go by. Besides, with every game so darn important for the play-off race Bogo just has to be over-played while injured

 

[jBuds]

Grigorenko with a chance to audition for Wah and Sakic here. I'm willing to be patient with him, but if the right deal presents itself, it's worth entertaining.

 

[CaptPantalones]

Without ennis is, we get shelled. But we're getting shelled regardless. 5-1 avs

 

[Vito_81]

Gotta lose this one!

 

[Sabre the Win]

10 mins too much.

cue Nolan for stand up

 

[Wisent42]

cue Nolan for stand up

This is the kind of crap that makes it hard for me to defend Nolan, and I have been defending him a lot. I think he's doing a good job keeping the moral up with this group, but he keeps throwing his players under the bus and I really don't like it. Keep it in the room. And I especially dislike the double standards where he gets to publicly critique his players but if any of them dare slip a comment about ice time or whatever, then that person needs to be stoned in a public square.

 

[26CornerBlitz]

 

[vcv]

Reminder: there is a tank thread for blatant tank cheerleading

 

[26CornerBlitz]

 

[mikemcburn]

Wouldn't be surprised if Ennis magically turns up ready to rumble for the game. I can just see it so.

If not though, I'd guess the lines go as

Moulson - Larsson - Gionta
Folingo - Grigorenko - Des
Dalpe - Varone/Schaller - Hodgson
Varone/Schaller - Ellis - Kaleta

Yeah, I realize Hodgson moved up to the 2nd line last game but the standard so far is that he only gets the sniff if a forward goes down mid-game, and by the next he's straight back to the 3rd/4th. Just not seeing Nolan putting much stock into Varone or Schaller, so bets on it being Des who gets the promo.

Zads gotta be sitting, if Nolan's latest media commentary is anything to go by. Besides, with every game so darn important for the play-off race Bogo just has to be over-played while injured

Yep. Called it. No way, no matter what, will Nolan ever allow Hodgson above the 3rd. I was wrong only insofar as it being Dalpe instead of Des who got the honors today, lol.

Seriously. Dalpe? The Nolan part of the Nolan/Hodgson thing is simply fruity.

 

[26CornerBlitz]

Referees
Rob Martell (#26)
Brad Watson (#23)

Referees Martell & Watson have worked 3 games together this season.

Linesmen
Lonnie Cameron (#74)
Shane Heyer (#55)

Linesmen Cameron & Heyer have worked 2 games together this season.

 

[doaner]

Best of luck tonight. Kick some ave booty!

 

[Moskau]

Assuming Strachan goes in for Zadorov. Which means Colorado will have 100+ shot attempts and Strachan, Bogosian and Weber will block 85 of them.

 

[sjci]

Hoping Varlamov comes back strong. No EJ tonight, but without Ennis, I think the Sabres will be hard pressed to get much offense. Colorado's D is still a tire fire, but their offense should make up for it.

4-1

 

[SundherDome]

It's nice Edmonton is no longer a threat. I can see us pulling this one out 3-2 Buffalo.

Hodgson
Foligno
Gionta

Tanguay
Everberg

 

[Kublakhan]

Lindback in net 2-0 Avs

Hacket in net 6-0 Avs

 

[26CornerBlitz]

Here are the projected lineups:

SABRES

Matt Moulson - Johan Larsson - Brian Gionta

Marcus Foligno - Mikhail Grigorenko - Zac Dalpe

Nicolas Deslauriers - Philip Varone - Cody Hodgson

Matt Ellis - Tim Schaller - Patrick Kaleta

Mike Weber - Rasmus Ristolainen

Andre Benoit - Zach Bogosian

Tyson Strachan - Andrej Meszaros

Anders Lindback

Matt Hackett

Scratched: Nikita Zadorov

Injured: Jerry D'Amigo (facial surgery), Tyler Ennis (shoulder), Zemgus Girgensons (lower body), Josh Gorges (lower body), Chad Johnson (lower body), Evander Kane (shoulder surgery), Cody McCormick (blood clots)

AVALANCHE

Gabriel Landeskog - Ryan O'Reilly - Alex Tanguay

John Mitchell - Matt Duchene - Jarome Iginla

Cody McLeod - Marc-Andre Cliche - Dennis Everberg

Jordan Caron - Joey Hishon - Freddie Hamilton

Jan Hejda - Zach Redmond

Nate Guenin - Tyson Barrie

Nick Holden - Brad Stuart

Semyon Varlamov

Reto Berra

Scratched: None

Injured: Patrick Bordeleau (fractured kneecap), Daniel Briere (foot), Erik Johnson (knee), Jamie McGinn (back surgery), Nathan MacKinnon (broken foot), Borna Rendulic (broken leg), Ryan Wilson (shoulder), Jesse Winchester (concussion)

Status report: Johnson, who had knee surgery Jan. 26, took part in the Avalanche's morning skate but will miss his 27th consecutive game. "He's getting very close," Roy said. It's possible Johnson could be available Monday against the Edmonton Oilers.

Who's hot: Gionta has three goals and one assist in a two-game streak. ... O'Reilly has four goals and seven assists in a six-game streak. ... Tanguay has three goals and two assists in a three-game streak. ... Landeskog has two goals and three assists in a three-game streak.

 

[couture23]

Best of luck tonight. Kick some ave booty!

 

[26CornerBlitz]

Avs' Pre-Game Video

Patrick Roy - Morning Skate (March 28)
[NHL]792768[/NHL]

Avs' Locker Room - Morning Skate (March 28)
[NHL]792783[/NHL]

 

[Kublakhan]

I dont like seeing Zads going down the Grigorenko path, something needs to be done quick

 

[Chainshot]

I wonder if the Sabres lineup could handle a good AHL team right now. So little talent on the ice.