GDT: Game 49: Sabres vs Blue Jackets - 1/29 7pm ET (MSG-B, WGR 550)

[Dreakon13]

Game Preview: 1/29/19 at Columbus

LAST GAME
Friday, January 18
Buffalo 3 at Vancouver 4
Goals: Rodrigues, Okposo, Reinhart
Goalie: Ullmark (19 saves/23 shots)
PP: 0/2; PK: 1/1; Shots: Buffalo 39 – Vancouver 23

CURRENT INJURIES – (Man Games Lost: 173)
Player (injury, first game missed) – total games missed
Casey Nelson (upper body, Dec. 8; injured reserve) – 19 games

TRANSACTIONS IN PAST 7 DAYS
N/A

UPCOMING GAMES
Wednesday, Jan. 30: Buffalo at Dallas, 8:30 p.m.
Friday, Feb. 1: Chicago at Buffalo, 7 p.m.
Tuesday, Feb. 5: Minnesota at Buffalo, 7 p.m.
Thursday, Feb. 7: Carolina at Buffalo, 7 p.m.
Saturday, Feb. 9: Detroit at Buffalo, 1 p.m.

TONIGHT’S GAME
SABRES at BLUE JACKETS

• This is the second of three meetings between the Sabres and Blue Jackets this season.
• Last meeting: Columbus defeated Buffalo 5-4 (OT) in Columbus on Oct. 27, 2018
• Next meeting: Sunday, March 31 in Buffalo
• The Sabres are 4-5-1 in their last 10 games vs. Blue Jackets; 4-5-1 on the road.
• This is the 31st game all-time between Buffalo and Columbus; Buffalo has an 11-16-3 series record.
• The Sabres are 4-8-2 on the road against the Blue Jackets all-time.

THIS DATE IN SABRES HISTORY

• The Sabres are 7-7-5 all-time on January 29.
• January 29, 1971: Gilbert Perreault scores the first hat trick in franchise history as the Sabres down the Golden Seals 4-2 in California.
• January 29, 1984: Gilbert Perreault records three points (2+1) in his 1,000th NHL game, a 7-3 win in Buffalo against the Pittsburgh Penguins. Perreault was the 52nd player in NHL history to reach this milestone and is joined by Craig Ramsay as the only two players to play at least 1,000 games with the Sabres.

THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW

• Evan Rodrigues has scored in each of Buffalo’s last three games, marking the longest scoring streak of his career. He now has points in five of his last six games (3+2), including points in four straight road games.
• Jack Eichel has totaled 11 points (3+8) in 10 career games against the Blue Jackets.
• Kyle Okposo has recorded 10 points (5+5) in his last 10 games against Columbus.
• Jeff Skinner has totaled 19 points (10+9) in 24 career games against the Blue Jackets, including 12 points (5+7) in his last 11.
• A win or overtime loss tonight would give the Sabres points in three straight games against the Blue Jackets for the first time since Dec. 3, 2010 to Oct. 27, 2011 (3-0-0).
• Sam Reinhart has already set career-high totals in assists (33) and multi-point games (13) this season. The Sabres are 18-8-4 this season when he records at least one point and 28-4-6 (.816) in his career when he records at least two.

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[oldgoalie]

back at it. just f***ing win.

 

[Gabrielor]

A game? A game!

Just win.

 

[Snippit]

I have a good feeling about this one.

BUF 4-2

Skinner hatrick

 

[Zman5778]

I think we're going to be VERY rusty. I'm bracing for a terrible 1st and then an uptick in play as the game goes on.

 

[GrierIsGod123]

I think with a Scandella/Hunwick pairing, and McCabe Risto, we're basically doomed to a possession-less game.

 

[sufferer]

Aw man, I was hoping they were done. Can't wait to watch panarin toy with them for the entire game.

 

[Vito_81]

Winning streak starts now

 

[1point21Gigawatts]

After a short offseason, back at it tonight. I'd love to see a win, but this team doesn't do well coming back from breaks.

 

[itwasaforwardpass]

Let's win a game against a team we're in the wild card race with for a change.

 

[kirby11]

Can't wait to hear Phil talk about how we weren't ready to play coming off the break

 

[5 Minute Major]

I feel like I don’t even know this team.

 

[jBuds]

Lalalalalalalalalalalossssssssfonnnnntaaaaiiine

 

[Team Cozens]

Last 34 games all I want to see is....

Eichel - continue to beast.
Skinner - Hit 50 goals.
Dahlin - continue to develop and take over games.
Tage - continue to develop and find a permanent 2C to play with
Mittelstadt - Start showing consistent secondary scoring. (Key to our future)
Pilut - to play
Olofsson - to come up and get PP time.
Nylander - to come up and show he is better in the NHL than the AHL.

Sheary - Way more consistency.
Pomer to be a great cheerleader from the box
Okposo to pass Pomer the popcorn.

 

[Royal Thunder]

I'm just happy that torturous break is done. Can't wait to watch more of Dahlin

 

[Tatre]

Hockey's back, and I hope the team is too. Come out strong for the home stretch!

 

[SundherDome]

6-5 loss... Columbus always seems to score in bunches and I don't have faith that this team understands what is at stake here, 4 points out with a game in hand.

 

[HaNotsri]

Can't wait to hear Phil talk about how we weren't ready to play coming off the break

They should have some sort of leader... a coach maybe to prepare them?

 

[Sabreality]

Hopefully the week away from the game will help them refocus. I'm refreshed and ready for a good run, 2 winnable games before a lengthy homestand, the time is now. We got this!

 

[joshjull]

Sigh

 

[Jim Bob]

Sigh

I'd rather that they scratch Scandella-Hunwick.

 

[Sabreality]

Sigh

just trying to think of a 'logical' explanation. With b2b games and CBJ playing a 'heavier' style game, perhaps Phil doesnt want Pilut in and would prefer he plays against Dallas? One can hope.

 

[CrazyPsycho]

I wasnt really too worried about benching pilut here and there, but after this break playing hunwick over him is maddening

Hell scandella over pilut is equally stupid

Just send him to roch

 

[GellMann]

Matt Hunwick?

Scratching Pilut for Beaulieu rather than Scandella for Beaulieu is frustrating but is a move that, right or wrong, all NHL coaches will make for all of eternity.

Playing Hunwick AND Scandella over Pilut AND Beaulieu is incompetence in player evaluation. There is nothing to gain now or in the future by doing so.

I think people here regularly grasp at rather goofy straws regarding Housley, but I also have no issue calling out utter garbage when I see it.

Matt Hunwick is so, so, so bad.

 

[kirby11]

Remember, kids: on the Buffalo Sabres, as long as you're a veteran player, you can suck all you want and there are no repercussions. If you're a young player and make one mistake, have fun getting scratched.