Game 58 Preview: Buffalo Sabres @ Ottawa Senators

It's bonus round time!

Listen Ottawa Senators, the bonus round is not a "gimme". You can still blow the bonus round if you don't take it seriously. So don't do that. You don't want to be the team that blows the bonus round (again), that's just embarrassing.

Edit: Mark here. Revelant to B_T's point:


The Buffalo Sabres are in Ottawa tonight for the last Sens home game before the Olympic break. The Sabres are dead last in the league, and pretty bad at almost everything, so it's definitely a should-win for Ottawa.

No changes to the lineup for skaters tonight, and Anderson gets the start.

MacArthur - Turris - Ryan
Michalek - Spezza - Zibanejad
Greening - Smith - Neil
Conacher - Da Costa - Condra
Cowen - Karlsson
Methot - Gryba
Wiercioch - Ceci
Anderson (starter)
Lehner

Some points for tonight's game:

  • Anderson looked pretty spectacular against Pittsburgh on Monday night. He probably won't need to be nearly as good tonight for the win, but another amazing performance would be great to see.
  • What's the over/under on non-calls in Buffalo's favour tonight?
  • Erik Karlsson, Mika Zibanejad, Jason Spezza, Milan Michalek and Kyle Turris all put up points in St Louis after being held off the sheet for two games in a row - can Clarke MacArthur and Bobby Ryan end their three game droughts tonight?
  • Stephane Da Costa didn't officially make the score sheet in St Louis, but not for lack of trying and he did score in the shootout. His recent play is probably better than Sens fans were hoping for when he was initially signed.
  • Ryan Miller has been quietly having a great season, but got lit up badly in his last two games.
  • Despite how bad Buffalo is, all three previous games against them have been one goal games, two of them going to extra time.
  • This is the back half of a back-to-back for the Sabres
Category Ottawa Buffalo
Player # Player #
Goals Bobby Ryan 20 Cody Hodgson 14
Assists Erik Karlsson 39 Christian Ehrhoff 20
Points Erik Karlsson 53 Cody Hodgson 30
Shots Erik Karlsson 177 Tyler Ennis 132
Average Ice time Erik Karlsson 27:21 Christian Ehrhoff 24:04
Category Ottawa Buffalo
# Rank # Rank
Goals For 2.82 8th 1.82 30th
Goals Against 3.09 28th 2.95 24th
Corsi Close % 51.4% 11th 42.5% 30th
Fenwick Close % 50.2% 16th 42.1% 30th
Shots For 32.3 4th 26.7 29th
Shots Against 34.3 29th 34.1 28th

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