Game 1 Prediction Panel: Ottawa Senators @ Buffalo Sabres
Predict tonight's game for fun and prizes!
The Senators open their season tonight with a visit to Buffalo. Will they leave with the win?
Remember to put your predictions in the comments to this post by the scheduled start time for it to count as an entry in our prediction contest! You can read the full rules on that here.
Adnan
6-3 Senators
GWG: Mike Hoffman
It will be a sloppy game with lots of chances for both teams. One or both of Jared Cowen and Mark Borowiecki will be terrible in this game.
Record: 0-0, 0 Points
0 Exact Scores, 0 Game Winning Goals
Ary
3-1 Senators
GWG: Mike Hoffman
I think the Senators win their opener against Buffalo and spook Robin Lehner a little bit. Speed is going to be big, especially because Buffalo’s defence is… well… non-existent, hence the Mike Hoffman GWG pick. I hope he ends up starting the season on a hot note so Bryan Murray gets the "TOP 6 FORWARD !!!!@!@!@!" stuff out of his head.
Record: 0-0, 0 Points
0 Exact Scores, 0 Game Winning Goals
B_T
3-1 Senators
GWG: Bobby Ryan
This one will be closer than it should be, and closer than the score indicates. No better night for Bobby to go the opposite direction from the last few weeks last year.
Record: 0-0, 0 Points
0 Exact Scores, 0 Game Winning Goals
Callum
4-2 Senators
GWG: Mike Hoffman
No, the Senators will not be losing to the Buffalo Sabres. Robin Lehner has been extremely shaky, Ottawa is ending their preseason on an offensive tear, and once the D-pairings are Mark Fraser free and filled with regulars, then we can expect a better performance than those against Montréal.
Record: 0-0, 0 Points
0 Exact Scores, 0 Game Winning Goals
Ian
3-1 Senators
GWG: Bobby Ryan
Sens will take it to their former netminder Robin Lehner and come out on top. Sens will start off the season by out-shooting their opponent by a wide margin.
Record: 0-0, 0 Points
0 Exact Scores, 0 Game Winning Goals
nkb
5-1 Senators
GWG: Alex Chiasson
Sens roll all over the Sabres in the first regular season game for each team. The Sens look like a playoff squad returning virtually their entire roster and the Sabres look like a team that took a flame thrower to theirs.
Record: 0-0, 0 Points
0 Exact Scores, 0 Game Winning Goals
Richard
5-2 Senators
GWG: Mika Zibanejad
The game is sloppy at first, but Ottawa composes themselves after an early goal goes their way. Buffalo’s goals are very pretty and speak to their potential moving forward, but they’re still a young team that’s seen a lot of changes from last year. Buffalo’s goals come on the power play or when Borowiecki-Cowen is on the ice.
Record: 0-0, 0 Points
0 Exact Scores, 0 Game Winning Goals
Ross
2-0 Senators
GWG: Erik Karlsson
Last time the Sens played the Sabres on opening night, two years ago, the Sens won 1-0 on a late goal by Erik Karlsson. I predict the same storyline, except somebody gets an empty-netter too. Hopefully Anderson.
Record: 0-0, 0 Points
0 Exact Scores, 0 Game Winning Goals
Trevor
3-2 Sabres
GWG: Zemgus Girgensons
I feel like the Sabres will get off to a bit if a hot start and will gets lots of attention for their "turnaround." Ottawa will be the better team by a longshot, but Buffalo squeaks by on a lucky goal.
Record: 0-0, 0 Points
0 Exact Scores, 0 Game Winning Goals