Comments / New

Preview: Golden Knights Faceoff Against Surging Sabres Squad

The Vegas Golden Knights (22-10-1, 45 points) will look to rebound this evening as they take on the Buffalo Sabres (15-14-2, 32 points) for the final time this season. Vegas is fresh off a loss to the New York Islanders, and the Sabres enter play with a 3-game win streak. Last month the Golden Knights defeated Buffalo 7-4, and will try and snap out of their recent funk on home ice.


Golden Knights topple Sabres 7-4 as Jack Eichel scores hat trick in third period


The Golden Knights head into this game with an offense that has generated 3.27 goals per game (x-best in NHL), and only surrendering 2.76 goals against per game (12th-best in NHL). Their power play has an efficiency rating of 25.8% which is 8th in the NHL as of this writing.

Buffalo sits 1st in the league with a 3.97 goals per game average, and 23rd with a 3.45 goals against average. In terms of special teams, their power play is clicking at 30% which is 2nd in the NHL.

When it comes to killing penalties, Vegas’ rating of 74.7% is 24th in the league, and the Sabres are killing penalties at a rate of 72.6% which is 26th in the league.


Players of Note

Buffalo Sabres

Leading Scorer: Tage Thompson — 25-24-49 in 31 games

Top Goal Scorer: Tage Thompson — 25 goals in 31 games

Best Goalie: Craig Anderson — 7-4-1, .922 SV%, 2.65 GAA

Vegas Golden Knights

Leading Scorer: Jack Eichel and Chandler Stephenson — 29 points

Top Goal Scorer: Reilly Smith — 16 goals in 31 games

Best Goalie: Logan Thompson — 14-8-0, .917 SV%, 2.64 GAA


Here are the projected lines for both sides.

Vegas Golden Knights

Phil Kessel — Chandler Stephenson — Mark Stone

Reilly Smith — William Karlsson — Jonathan Marchessault

Jonas Rondbjerg — Jake Leschyshyn — Mike Amadio

Will Carrier — Nicolas Roy — Keegan Kolesar

Nic Hague — Alec Martinez

Brayden McNabb — Daniil Miromanov

Ben Hutton — Alex Pietrangelo

Logan Thompson

Buffalo Sabres

Jeff Skinner — Tage Thompson — Alex Tuch

JJ Peterka — Dylan Cozens — Jack Quinn

Tyson Jost — Casey Mittelstadt — Victor Olofsson

Zemgus Girgensons — Peyton Krebs — Kyle Okposo

Lawrence Pilut — Rasmus Dahlin

Mattias Samuelsson — Kale Clague

Jeremy Davis — Casey Fitzgerald

Craig Anderson


Feel free to use this as an open thread to discuss the game.