GDT: Game 35: Panthers @ Sabres - 12/18 7pm ET (MSG-B, WGR 550)

[Dreakon13]

Game Preview: 12/18/18 vs. Florida

Source: SabresDigitalPressBox.com

LAST GAME
Sunday, December 16
Buffalo 4 at Boston 2
Goals: Skinner (2), Eichel (2)
Goalie: Ullmark (35 saves/37 shots)
PP: 0/1; PK: 2/2; Shots: Boston 37 – Buffalo 27

CURRENT INJURIES – (Man Games Lost: 133)
Player (injury, first game missed) – total games missed
Scott Wilson (ankle, Oct. 4; injured reserve) – 34 games
Jake McCabe (upper body, Nov. 29; injured reserve) – 8 games
Casey Nelson (upper body, Dec. 8; injured reserve) – 5 games
Lawrence Pilut (lower body, Dec. 15; injured reserve) – 2 games

TRANSACTIONS IN PAST 7 DAYS
12/12: Assigned D Matt Hunwick to Rochester (AHL) on a conditioning loan
12/15: Recalled D Matt Hunwick from his conditioning loan in Rochester (AHL); Activated D Marco Scandella from IR
12/16: Recalled D Brendan Guhle from Rochester (AHL); Placed D Lawrence Pilut on IR

UPCOMING GAMES
Friday, Dec. 21: Buffalo at Washington, 7 p.m.
Saturday, Dec. 22: Anaheim at Buffalo, 7 p.m.
Thursday, Dec. 27: Buffalo at St. Louis, 8 p.m.
Saturday, Dec. 29: Boston at Buffalo, 7 p.m.
Monday, Dec. 31: NY Islanders at Buffalo, 6 p.m.

TONIGHT’S GAME
PANTHERS at SABRES

• This is the second of four meetings between the Sabres and Panthers this season.
• Last meeting: Florida defeated Buffalo 3-2 (OT) in Florida on Nov. 30
• Next meeting: Thursday, Jan. 3 in Buffalo
• The Sabres are 2-6-2 in their last 10 games vs. the Panthers; 3-7-0 at home.
• This is the 98th game all-time between Buffalo and Florida; Buffalo has a 48-40-9 series record.

THIS DAY IN SABRES HISTORY

• The Sabres are 11-2-3 all-time on December 18.
• December 18, 1975: Rick Martin scores two goals in the first minute and completes his hat trick in the third period in a 5-2 home win for the Sabres over the Minnesota North Stars.
• December 18, 1985: Dave Andreychuk, Mike Ramsey and Don Lever all score in the third period to spark a 5-4 come-from-behind Sabres victory over the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden.

THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW

• The Sabres are 7-3-2 against the Atlantic Division this season.
• With losses in their last six games against Florida, Buffalo needs a win tonight to avoid the team’s first-ever seven-game winless streak against the Panthers.
• Jack Eichel enters tonight’s contest on a six-game point streak (9+4). He was named the NHL’s Third Star for the week ending Dec. 16 with nine points (5+4) in four games.
• Jeff Skinner has points in six straight games (4+3) for the first time since he tallied points in seven in a row from March 16 to 27, 2017.

Click to read more...

 

[Gabrielor]

I'll be there! 6th game before Xmas.

Just win.

 

[Sabreality]

Eichel needs a better showing vs Barkov than last time. 3-1 Good guys

 

[sabresfan129103]

Florida seems to be a bad match up for us. I can definitely see them losing this one.

 

[StlSwedes]

A win would help us hold serve in the standings as most of the teams around us also play tonight. Florida is a team we should have an advantage against. However, with so many 'big' games recently you could definitely see our young team fail to get up for this one and try to turn in a sub 60 minute game resulting in a disappointing loss. On the reverse side, you could see the Panthers get up for this one and give us their best shot.

Secondary scoring or even the elusive of late goal from the defense would go a long way towards securing 2 points. I would love to see Bogo or KO deliver a goal tonight. If not, I would expect the top line to continue to deliver. Also, Dahlin is overdue for a one timer on the PP to find the net.

 

[Dubi Doo]

f***, Florida games can be so dry sometimes. Hopefully this one is entertaining. They do seem to have our number the past few years. A win would be nice.

 

[EichHart]

3-2 Sabres in OT, since every Sabres game goes to OT.

 

[Reddawg]

 

[Sansbacon]

However, with so many 'big' games recently you could definitely see our young team fail to get up for this one and try to turn in a sub 60 minute game resulting in a disappointing loss.

If they’re playing in Florida tonight with absolutely no atmosphere in the building, then I’d be legitimately concerned about this. But in our own barn, an early goal gets the crowd into it and hopefully keeps them engaged.

3-2 Florida. Barkov with the OT game winner

 

[26CornerBlitz]

GAME-DAY RESOURCES

Game Notes

NHL Stats

Press Clips

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

 

[GrierIsGod123]

I really hate Florida and can't wait for that team to move. They're just such a bore.

 

[Gabrielor]

Oh boy

 

[ZZamboni]

I’ve come to the conclusion that no matter what the line make up is… Somebody is going to be unhappy about it.

 

[Gabrielor]

I like that Thompson Sobotka pommer is done. That line was arguably our worst this season.

 

[GrierIsGod123]

Oh boy

Well...it can't be much worse than what we've seen lately. The problem is more about the players, not the line combos though. Sobotka and Pominville should be out of the lineup, while Okposo and Mittelstadt move down to a lower line. We basically need an entire second line.

I'm glad Rodrigues is being moved up, but don't love Tage on the 4th line in his place. We really need Wilson back, as sad as that sounds.

 

[26CornerBlitz]

 

[Der Jaeger]

As long as 53 - 9 - 23 is left alone, and he keep Larsson and Girgensons together, stir away Mad Phil.

 

[GrierIsGod123]

Can't wait til Pilut is back. He's a clear cut Top 4 guy on this team now. As far as I'm concerned, Scandella, McCabe, Beaulieu, Nelson, Hunwick and Guhle can all rotate third pairing when we're healthy. That's quite a list of capable defenders for a third pair.

 

[26CornerBlitz]

Can't wait til Pilut is back. He's a clear cut Top 4 guy on this team now. As far as I'm concerned, Scandella, McCabe, Beaulieu, Nelson, Hunwick and Guhle can all rotate third pairing when we're healthy. That's quite a list of capable defenders for a third pair.

You have severely undersold McCabe.

 

[old kummelweck]

Oh boy

Tage one step from the press box and justifiably so. I like the idea of a guy like ERod on the Mittelstadt line, but man, the sabres just don't have the personnel to play with Casey.

 

[steveoath]

glad Rodrigues is being moved up, but don't love Tage on the 4th line in his place.

Totally. Can sheary not play a high energy checking game with Girgs and Larsson? Thompson on that 4th line scares me.

 

[GrierIsGod123]

You have severely undersold McCabe.

I really like him to be the driving force of a great 3rd pairing. I think his talent level is a great # 5, and decent # 4 guy. I shouldn't have included him the rotation. I just think Pilut is more of an impact player, and really improved Risto's possession #'s, which no one else has been able to do.

 

[joshjull]

Totally. Can sheary not play a high energy checking game with Girgs and Larsson? Thompson on that 4th line scares me.

I like the idea of trying Thompson on the 4th line.

If playing with those two can't get him moving his feet and hustling every shift, nothing will. I've also thought about this combo previously when thinking who could add some potential finish to that line without detracting from it or the other lines if moved there.

Sheary with Sobotka actually gives that line some speed that was sorely lacking when it was TT/Sobotka/Pommer

 

[Crazy Tasty]

If 22 & 28 can hold possession and try to feed Tage for one-timers, it could work.
We know Tage can take the puck away with that reach, maybe some work with the grinders will spark something in him...?

 

[26CornerBlitz]

I really like him to be the driving force of a great 3rd pairing. I think his talent level is a great # 5, and decent # 4 guy. I shouldn't have included him the rotation. I just think Pilut is more of an impact player, and really improved Risto's possession #'s, which no one else has been able to do.

No need to put so much pressure on Pilut this early into his NHL career. At this juncture, McCabe is much better suited to the strong defensive posture required in the top 4.