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.
Related
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.
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