GDT: Carolina Hurricanes @ Buffalo Sabres 7PM 11.14.2019

[Buffaloed]

Hurricanes-Sabres odds: Carolina favored in Buffalo

The Carolina Hurricanes (10-7-1) and Buffalo Sabres (9-6-2) square off in Western New York on Thursday at 7 p.m. ET. Both teams are 4-5-1 across the past 10 outings.

Projected Starting Goalies:
Petr Mrazek vs. Carter Hutton

Sabres Lines affected by Injuries
As search for offense continues, injuries may force Sabres to shuffle deck

The top line of Jack Eichel between Victor Olofsson and Sam Reinhart stayed together Wednesday, as did the grinder trio of Zemgus Girgensons-Johan Larsson and Kyle Okposo.

With Johansson out, Evan Rodrigues stepped in at center between Jeff Skinner and Conor Sheary. Lazar joined Jimmy Vesey on the wings with Casey Mittelstadt.
Krueger said the Sabres will re-evaluate Johansson Thursday morning to see if he can play.

Marco Scandella also returned to practice. Krueger thinks he has a real good chance to play on Thursday.

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[Reddawg]

I expect us to get destroyed, so we probably win this one convincingly just to keep everyone confused AF.

 

[Scherbs]

Johansson's out.

It's fine. Everything's fine. Don't worry about it. I'm not worried at all.

 

[EichHart]

I'll be at the game so chalk up a loss.

 

[couture23]

Colin Miller out in favour of Scandella.

Pardon?

 

[Tsyolin]

Wish Tage got the call instead of Lazar but I guess this will have to do. Hopefully the boys come out with some fire to bury this losing streak.

 

[sufferer]

Wish Tage got the call instead of Lazar but I guess this will have to do. Hopefully the boys come out with some fire to bury this losing streak.

Agreed. I understand that Lazar was called up because he fit the Sobotka role better than Tage, but wouldn't Tage be a better fit in whatever role Sheary is in? I'm not looking to mess with his development, just give him a game or two to see if he's head and shoulders better than Sheary/Vesey/whoever, and if he's not, send him down. I suspect he'll get his call up eventually, but I'm just sick of seeing the usual suspects not making any meaningful impact.

 

[Chainshot]

I expect us to get destroyed, so we probably win this one convincingly just to keep everyone confused AF.

Funny, I had the same thought. Then they'll drop the game against the Sens or something.

 

[Chainshot]

Colin Miller out in favour of Scandella.

Pardon?

Miller hasn't been all that great. Scandella-Jokiharju has been the team's best defending pair.

 

[Thorton02]

So we're back to a 1 line team again.

 

[BuzzKillington90]

I'm interested to see what scouts, if any, are present tonight.

 

[Uberpecker]

So we're back to a 1 line team again.

And it's not even the first line.

 

[CrazyPsycho]

Who are we tanking for this time?

 

[Fjordy]

If they do not show effort, then I will be completely disappointed, I hope the team will go on the ice and will fight for the victory to the end.

 

[OkimLom]

So we're back to a 1 line team again.

There weren't many games where we were NOT a 1 line team.

 

[kirby11]

My friend got 100 level tickets from his work so we'll get an up-close view of this trainwreck. I'm expecting Carolina to forecheck us to death by the 10 minute mark of the first period. Hope Hutton is ready for a lot of work.

 

[hizzoner]

Like most posters I am not optimistic. Carolina seems to give us fits and the Sabres have trouble scoring. Somehow this team has gone from promising to depressing. Very hard to watch them on tv now--if not at the game I watch until they are losing then tape to watch later--maybe!

 

[Dirty Dog]

STOP THE BLEEDING

 

[Zman5778]

Colin Miller out in favour of Scandella.

Pardon?

Makes perfect sense. Miller has been the worst of our RHDs lately. Montour/Risto/Joker have all been decidedly better.

So we're gonna roll with Dahlin/McCabe/Scandella on the left. Scandella/Joker have easily been our best D pair all year, so that makes sense.

That said, given that we've got 10 games between today and 11/30 (and 14 games in December).............my bet is that there's going to be shuffling going on. Gonna see plenty of Miller and probably some Glimour (and Pilut? and Borgen?) in the next 6 weeks. Especially given Kruger's seeming desire to keep all the defense fresh.

 

[Chainshot]

Someone blackbag Dud's and Eric Tulsky if they are in the rink tonight.

 

[Zman5778]

STOP THE BLEEDING

A young, fast team with a deep defense and deep cast of forwards?

Yeah, not sure tonight's the "get healthy" night. We've got some coming (Ottawa, Minny, a Jekyll-and-Hyde Blackhawks team), but tonight's going to be an uphill battle.

I'm looking for effort tonight, full well expecting that there will be times where Carolina will flat-out outplay us. Make them earn what they get -- don't give them anything easy. That's the first step.

 

[WeDislikeEich]

Yep, I concur. Not feeling at all confident about tonight. They always seem to struggle with Carolina.

I’m hoping to at least see a good effort all night. If they’re not hungry to break a 5 game losing streak, we’ve got a lot bigger problems...

 

[Zman5778]

Yep, I concur. Not feeling at all confident about tonight. They always seem to struggle with Carolina.

I’m hoping to at least see a good effort all night. If they’re not hungry to break a 5 game losing streak, we’ve got a lot bigger problems...

I also wonder how much all the travel and lack of actual game time is going to hurt them. Played 11/2. Travelled cross-ocean. Two games on 11/8 and 11/9. Travelled cross-ocean.

Not going to shock me one bit if we come out flatter than a crepe in the 1st and come on in the 2nd and 3rd.

 

[deVolt]

Maybe Skinner can show some sign of life, Normally very good against the Canes.

 

[Asymmetric Solution]

Eichs had enough, going hatty tonight with Skinner potting some stuff based off our new revived 2C taking over.