Game 2 Preview & Open Thread: Sabers vs Canadiens
Buffalo seeking to assert dominance over Montreal with one other win
Buffalo Sabers (5-2) vs. Montreal Canadiens (4-4)
Puck Drop: 7:00 PM ET | KeyBank Center | Buffalo, New York
TV: TNT, HBO MAX, MSG-B
Radio: WGR 550
Know Your Opponent
Montreal Canadiens
Record: 48-24-10 | 106 PTS
Division Ranking: third within the Atlantic Division
Last Game: Lost to Buffalo 4-2
PP: 21.4% | Sabers 11.1%
PK: 78.1% | Sabers 83.3%
What to Watch
(*2*)1. Keep Up The Intensity
It may need been fatigue from their seven-game collection with the Lightning, however the Canadiens appeared shocked by the ferociousness of the Sabres’ forecheck in Game 1. Buffalo got here out hitting arduous and urgent the puck-carrier, and it labored for essentially the most half because the hosts seemed the higher facet 5-v-5.
Montreal shouldn’t be as shell-shocked tonight, and can try and evade the Sabers full courtroom press by passing the puck even faster, however that in flip ought to give Buffalo extra alternatives to create probabilities off turnovers, a metric the Sabers lead the postseason in.
2. Maintain Discipline
Montreal’s energy play seemed terrifying at instances. Their prime unit seemed like they might discover one another blindfolded! While the Sabers did properly promoting out to dam photographs that additionally created openings down low, and so they must keep capturing lane self-discipline to keep away from that.
Or, you understand, simply not take foolish penalties, realizing that sure Habs have already proven a bent to flop like a gutted fish.
3. Spread The Love
The Zucker – McLeod – Quinn is lengthy overdue for a breakout efficiency at even power. McLeod lastly broke his scoring duck with an influence play aim, and Quinn had half a dozen shot makes an attempt most of which have been of top quality. After Benson – Norris – Doan gave Montreal suits on Wednesday, you’ll be able to count on them to get a whole lot of defensive consideration tonight, and Marty St. Louis has discovered he cannot sleep on the Greenway – Kozak – Malenstyn line both.
Projected Lineups
Buffalo Sabers
Forwards:
Krebs–Thompson–Tuch
Zucker–McLeod–Quinn
Benson–Norris–Doan
Greenway–Kozak–Malenstyn
Defense:
Samuelsson–Dahlin
Byram – Power
Stanley–Timmins
Goalies:
Lyon, Luukkonen
Montreal Canadiens
Forwards:
Cole Caufield – Nick Suzuki – Juraj Slafkovsky
Alex Newhook – Jake Evans – Ivan Demidov
Alexandre Texier – Phillip Danault – Josh Anderson
Zack Bolduc – Joe Veleno – Kirby Dach
Defense:
Mike Matheson – Alexandre Carrier
Lane Hutson – Kaiden Guhle
Arber Xhekaj – Noah Dobson
Goalies:
Dobeš, Fowler