Lightning Strikes: Four Games in Seven Days

The Tampa Bay Lightning is looking to extend its lead in lead in the Atlantic Division, but it won't be an easy road ahead. The Bolts face the Florida Panthers on the road on Sunday night. The next three games are at home against the Calgary Flames, Dallas Stars and Montreal Canadiens.

1.) Sunday, Feb. 10 @ Panthers- 6 p.m.

The Lightning will take on the Panthers, who are looking to get back into the playoff positioning. This will be a game that features the first and third ranked power plays in the League. The Bolts have outscored the Panthers 14-8 in three game played this season and are 3-0-0 against them.

The Lightning Win If...

They play a solid even strength game and manage to stay out of the penalty box. The Panthers have allowed 125 even strength goals against this season, but have one of the best power plays in the League. The Lightning do have the second best penalty kill in the League, but they are only killing 80% of penalties taken on the road. The Bolts have played a solid even strength game all season and have outscored the opposition by 25 goals while playing 5-on-5.

Matchup of the Game

It will be interesting to watch the Panthers power play go up against the Lightning penalty kill. The Panthers power play is third in the NHL, which ranked them third in the NHL at 27%. The home power play is actually better at 28%. The Lightning penalty kill has improved immensely and is now second in the League (84.7%), but the penalty kill is not as good on the road (80%) as it is on home ice (89.5%). 

Game Prediction

The Lightning will win this game 2-1, which means the goalies are going to make some saves. It is an  important game for both team with the Lightning wanting to build on their Atlantic Division lead, while the Panthers are fighting to get back into a playoff spot. The Bolts goals will come from J.T Miller and Brayden Point with the Panthers lone goal being scored by Vincent Trocheck.

2.) Tuesday, Feb. 12 vs. Flames- 7:30 p.m.-ESPN+

The Bolts take on the Flames, who bring plenty of speed to this game. In the only game against this season, the Lightning managed to pull out the win in the shootout. These two teams each have the speed, talent and can put the puck in the net so this should be a fast-paced hockey game with some goals scored. 

The Lightning Will Win If...

They can manage to slow down the Flames' top line of Johnny Gaudreau, Sean Monahan and Elias Lindholm. The line has combined for 199 points so far this season. The line has a combination of speed, playing and finishing ability. The Lightning need to establish a good forecheck early in this game, get plenty of shots on net and make the Flames defend in their own zone. The Bolts should also try to limit their mistakes especially in the neutral zone with the Flames transition speed.

Matchup of the Game

The teams are very close in style, but the main difference has been the goaltending. Andrei Vasilevskiy and Louis Domingue have done a great job in stopping the puck for the Lightning this season. The goaltending duo of Mike Smith and David Rittich has had its problems this season. The goaltending has improved since Rittich has taken over the starting job, but they are still letting in soft goals. If the Flames want to win this game then the goalie needs to make the routine stops.

Game Prediction

The Flames will tie the game late in regulation to force overtime. The Lightning will lose 4-3 in the extra session. The Flames goals will be scored by Johnny Gaudreau, Elias Lindholm,  Sam Bennett and James Neal. The Bolts goals will go to Yanni Gourde, Mathieu Joseph and Steven Stamkos. 

3.) Thursday, Feb. 14 vs Stars- 7:30 p.m.-ESPN +

The Stars have been one of the more inconsistent teams because they lack a balanced lineup. The Stars are basically a one line team with the other three lines pitching in once every few games or so. The Lightning can't overlook this team or they will not get two points out of a very winnable game. The Bolts beat the Stars 2-0 earlier in the season on the road. 

The Lightning Will Win If...

The team gets off to a fast start and continues it throughout the game. The Stars have been outscored big time by the opposition in the first periods of games. It is almost like the Stars aren't ready for the start of the game, but get better as the game goes on. The Bolts have outscored the opposition in the first period but by less than 10 goals, so they want to improve on their starts.

Matchup of the Game

Tyler Seguin has been everything for the Stars this season after signing his contract in the offseason. He doesn't have as many points as the team would like, but he has really picked up his play of late. He leads the team in goals (22), assists (29) and points (51). Nikita Kucherov got off to a slower than usual start, but that hasn't affected his play this season. He leads the team in assists (59) and points (81) with Brayden Point, who just happens to be Kucherov's centerman, leading the team in goals (31). These two players have the potential to do some damage in the game.

Game Prediction

The Lightning manage to win this one because of its depth scoring by a score of 3-1. They'll get a late empty net goal to seal the win. The one Stars goal will be scored by Tyler Seguin with Alexander Radulov adding a primary assist. The three Lightning goals will come from Alex Killorn, Tyler Johnson and Brayden Point.

4.) Saturday, Feb. 16 vs. Canadiens- 7 p.m.- NHLN

The Montreal Canadiens have been on of the surprise teams in the NHL this season. They have three lines that have the potential to score and have gotten decent goaltending. The power play has probably been one of the down falls on this team and it is ranked 30th in the League (13.5%). This should be a good fast paced game that may very need overtime to decide the game.

The Lightning Will Win If...

They get plenty of pucks on net with traffic in front of the opposing goalie. The Lightning should want to take away the goalie's eyes especially if Carey Price is in net for the Canadiens. The Bolts should play with their speed to try to get to loose pucks and then make sure that they establish a forecheck early in the game. 

Matchup of the Game

One of the goaltenders if going to steal this game for his team especially if the starters are Carey Price and Andrei Vasilevskiy. These goalies can make the routine save and make highlight reel saves. Price has been playing well of late and Vasilevskiy has been playing decent since coming back from his broken foot. The teams are going to have to get the goalies moving from post to post and get plenty of traffic in front for deflections.

Game Prediction

The Habs are going to get some revenge for the two earlier loses to the Bolts this season by winning 3-2 in overtime. The two games have seen the two teams combine for 16 goals. The Lightning have 10 goals in the season series while the Canadiens have scored six times. The Canadiens goals will come from Max Domi, Tomas Tatar and Brendan Gallagher. The Lightning goal scorers are Steven Stamkos and Nikita Kucherov. 

Lightning Strikes Weekly Prediction

The Lightning will finish a tough week with a 2-0-2 record and grab six points in the standings. 

Leafs Notes: Weekly Preview 3/11/18-3/17/18

The Toronto Maple Leafs will finally get to play some games this week after playing just three games in the last 11 days.

The Leafs will still have off until Wednesday night, but then play three games in four days. It won't be an easy stretch as they'll face the Dallas Stars as home on Wednesday night. The Leafs will then travel to Buffalo to take on the Sabres on Thursday night. Toronto will finish the week on Saturday night at home against the Montreal Canadiens.

Toronto will want to use their speed in transition to create odd man rushes and draw penalties. The Leafs should try to get involved early in this game and create chances. The Maple Leafs need a good game from the goaltender with no soft goals and not allowing everything to get past him. Toronto should try to win the battle at even strength since this game could very well come down to even strength goals.

Dallas  will need to contain the speed of the Maple Leafs since they have plenty of it. The Stars want to play a good game in the neutral zone by limiting mistakes and turnovers. Dallas needs the goaltending to be very good in this game and not allow any soft goals. The Stars should watch Patrick Marleau since he has 65 career points in 101 games played against the Stars.

The Sabres need to limit their mistakes with and without the puck since the Leafs have the ability to finish. Buffalo will want to play the game with some discipline since their penalty kill has been in the bottom of the League for a majority of the season. The Sabres need to get the first goal of the game and keep attacking along with getting shots on net since Freddie Andersen has been giving up some goals lately. Buffalo will need a solid 60 minute effort if they hope to gain two points in the standings.

The Leafs need to find a way to win in Buffalo. They lost lost 5-3 on March 5, which has been the only time the two teams have met so far this year. The Maple Leafs needs to get off to a good start by getting pucks on net, getting scoring chances, pressuring the Sabres players into turning the puck over. Toronto will want to be engaged in this game from the drop of the puck. The Leafs will want to get the first goal of the game and take the home crowd out of the game. Toronto will want to establish their forecheck and cycle game early and often in this one to keep the Sabres hemmed in their own zone.

The Leafs will need to get off to a fast start against the Canadiens on Saturday night. Toronto will need to pressure the puck carrier to force some turnovers. The Maple Leafs will want to limit their mistakes and get plenty of shots on goal.

The Canadiens will also want to get off to a good start and try to get the first goal of the game. The Habs will want to have the led entering the final period of the game. Montreal will need the starting goaltender to step up his game and make some saves to keep them in the game.

Shooting Stars: Weekly Preview 3/11/18-3/17/18

The Dallas Stars will look to position themselves in a good spot for playoff contention with only four weeks left in the regular season. It won't be an easy week even though they will face some teams that will not make the playoffs, but will try to play the role of spoiler.

If the Stars want to gain some valuable points this week then they will have to do it on the road where they haven't play well this season. Dallas is currently in the first wild card position, but there are four teams that are not far behind them including the Avalanche, who are only two points behind them for that first wild card spot.

The Stars will start the week off facing the Penguins, who played in Toronto last night and lost. On Tuesday, they will face the Canadiens, who are looking to play the role of spoilers, so the Stars better be ready to play from puck drop. Dallas then will face the Maple Leafs on Wednesday night, and finish the week off in Ottawa on Friday night.

The Stars want to take advantage of the fact that the Penguins are coming off of playing a game last night and had to travel after the game. Dallas needs to get off to a solid start by spending some time in the offensive zone and getting the forecheck and cycle game established early. The Stars will need to stay out of the penalty box with the Pens having the best power play in the League. Dallas will want to get a solid game from the goaltending since the Penguins will get their chances to score. The Stars should keep an eye on when and where Sidney Crosby and Evegeni Malkin are on the ice since they have good career numbers against the Stars.

Pittsburgh needs to get off to a fast start themselves and make sure that they have the legs early in the game and feed of the energy of the crowd. The Penguins will need to find a way to stop the balanced lineup of the Stars. They should also try to have the lead entering the second period since they are only 5-19-2 when trailing after two periods, while Dallas is only 2-18-2 when trailing after two periods. The Pens need to keep an eye on Tyler Seguin and Jason Spezza since they have a combined 62 points in their careers against the Penguins.

On Tuesday night, the Stars will visit the Canadiens, who have underachieved this year. Dallas should try to get the first goal of the game to take the home crowd out of the game. The Stars need to get off to a fast start and make sure they have some energy to start the game. Dallas should try to put a ton of pressure on the puck carrier and outnumber in board battles since the Habs will turn the puck over. The Stars need to be aware of when Brendan Gallagher and Alex Galchenyuk are on the ice since they've done most of the damage for the Habs this year offensively.

Montreal needs to get the first goal of the game to get them off to a fast start. The Canadiens want to establish the forecheck early along with their cycle game since that is one way to stop the balanced lineup of the Stars. The goaltending will need to step up in a big way in this game to give the Habs a chance at stealing two points. The Canadiens need to keep an eye on Jason Spezza when he is on the ice since he has 69 points in 61 games played against them in his career.

The Stars will have a tough game on Wednesday night with it being the second game of a back-to-back situation and the opposition being the Toronto Maple Leafs. Dallas  will need to contain the speed of the Maple Leafs since they have plenty of it. The Stars want to play a good game in the neutral zone by limiting mistakes and turnovers. Dallas needs the goaltending to be very good in this game and not allow any soft goals. The Stars should watch Patrick Marleau since he has 65 career points in 101 games played against the Stars.

Toronto will want to use their speed in transition to create odd man rushes and draw penalties. The Leafs should try to get involved early in this game and create chances. The Maple Leafs need a good game from the goaltender with no soft goals and not allowing everything to get past him. Toronto should try to win the battle at even strength since this game could very well come down to even strength goals.

Dallas finishes their week on Friday against the Senators, who have been a big disappointment this year. The Stars need to win the special teams battle since the Senators are not good at special teams. Dallas should try to get the first goal of the game and take the home crowd out of the game. The Stars want to be patient with the puck, but not overly patient, because the Sens tend to black a lot of shots. Dallas will want to establish the forecheck and cycle game, and they'll also need to keep an eye on Mark Stone, since he is the leading point producer on the team.

The Senators should try to play a solid team defense with the gaps between the defense and forwards not too big. They'll need to avoid turnovers since the Stars have plenty of offensive fire power to score off those mistakes. Ottawa should stay out of the penalty box since the penalty kill has been awful this year. The Sens need to be better  all around and make sure that they are staying focused during the game. Ottawa will want to keep an eye on Tyler Seguin since he leads the Stars in points and goal.

Flying Forward: Weekly Preview 2/25/18-3/3/18

The Philadelphia Flyers look to continue extend their five game win streak this week as they take on some Eastern Conference opponents.

The Flyers start the week off with a rare Monday night game on the schedule. They will take on a disappointing Canadiens team in Montreal. On Thursday night, the Flyers return to the Wells Fargo Center to take on the Carolina Hurricanes. Philly will finish out the week on Saturday afternoon against the Lightning in Tampa Bay.

The Flyers will want to make sure that they establish the forecheck and cycle game early and often against the Canadiens. The Orange and Black will want to make sure that they take advantage of their power play opportunities since the Habs aren't exactly the best penalty killing team in the NHL. The Flyers will want to have a strong even strength game against Montreal since the team actually has a decent power play and can put some pucks in the net while on the man advantage. Philly should get some shots on goal since the rookie goalie will be starting tonight for the Habs.

The Canadiens have struggled mightily this year and have been one of the more disappointing teams in the League. They will want to get the first goal of the game and keep attacking because the Flyers have been finding ways to win games lately. The Habs should set the tone early whether it be physically or spending time in the offensive zone. Montreal wants to play discipline since they have a weak penalty kill, and the Flyers have good power play. The Canadiens need to play a consistent game and take advantage of being up a man on the ice since the Flyers have one of the worst penalty kills in the League.

On Thursday night, the Flyers take on Metropolitan Division foe, Carolina Hurricanes. The Orange and Black will need to play well at even strength, while still being discipline. Philly needs to take advantage of their power play opportunities since the Hurricanes seem to allow a lot of power play goals. The Flyers should use their speed to create chances and draw some penalties. The Orange and Black need to be aware of where Teuvo Teravainen and Sebastian Aho are on the ice since they are the leading point getters for the Hurricanes.

The Hurricanes will want to be discipline and not give the Flyers too many chances on the power play. Carolina needs its goaltender to have a big game and not allow any soft goals. The Canes should try to get the first goal of the game and keep putting the pressure on the Flyers since they will turn the puck over. The Hurricanes need to win the special teams battle if they want to have a chance at winning the game. Carolina should be aware of the speed and creativity of forward Travis Konecny and defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere, who has killed them in his brief career.

Philly ends their week with an afternoon game in Tampa Bay against the Lightning. The Flyers will need to find a way to stop the balanced attack of the Lightning by spending some time in their offensive zone. The Orange and Black are going to want to play a solid road game and keep the defensive gap pretty small. Philly wants to make sure that they get a ton of traffic in front of the net for deflections and to take the goalie's eyes away from the puck. The Orange and Black want to limit their mistakes and get some solid goaltending.

The Bolts need to play with discipline since their one weakness has been the penalty kill this year. Tampa Bay should get the first goal of the game to keep the home crowd in the game and have the momentum. The Lightning want to win the special teams battle since both teams play a solid even strength game. The Bolts goaltender will need to make some big saves throughout the game and make the easy saves too. Tampa Bay is going to need to find a way to stop the balanced attack of the Flyers by making them defend in their own zone.

Preds Prey: Weekly Preview 11/19/17-11/25/17

The Nashville Predators will look to continue their hot streak this week as they face a couple of Central Division foes and a team that is struggling in all aspects of the game.

The Predators will face the Winnipeg Jets, Montreal Canadiens and St. Louis Blues this week. They have a chance to gain some points within the division and those points are always important and they want to get as many as they can.

Nashville will need to make sure that they contain Blake Wheeler and Mark Scheifele by spending time in the offensive zone, and not taking any bad penalties. The Predators will need to get the first goal of the game and keep the crowd involved from the start. Nashville will need to have a better start to this game since they've struggled in first periods of games at times this year. The Preds will need to stay out of the penalty box since the Jets' power play is operating at almost 22%. Nashville will need to get traffic in front of Connor Hellebuyck since he has had a great start to the season, and has taken over the number one goalie position over Steve Mason.

The Jets will need to find a way to contain Filip Forsberg, who leads the Preds in all three major offensive categories. Winnipeg will need to be aware of the Predators defense since they like to join the play in the offensive zone and can put up some points. The Jets need to get the first goal of the game to quiet the crowd. Winnipeg will need to stay out of the penalty box since Nashville's power play can strike at any time. The Jets will need to shoot the puck and make sure they get plenty of traffic in front of the net.

The struggling Canadiens visit Nashville on Wednesday night. The Predators will need to shoot the puck since the Habs are starting a rookie goalie, and are struggling defensively. Nashville will need to get off to a fast start, attack and get in on the forecheck. The Preds need to get the tone from the beginning of the game and not sit back at any point. Nashville shouldn't look past the Habs to the Blues because that would be a mistake even though the Habs are really struggling.

The Habs will need to be aware of where Filip Forsberg is on the ice at all times. They need to make sure that they play a discipline game and not give the Preds anymore chances on the power play than necessary. Montreal will need to be consistent within the game, and stay focused instead of having lapses throughout the game. The Habs will need to get anyone on the roster going and have a big game. Montreal will need to find a way to keep Roman Josi and P.K. Subban out of the offense for the Preds.

The Predators finish up their week against the St. Louis Blues, who are one of the best teams in the League. Nashville will need to contain the line of Jaden Schwartz, Brayden Schenn and Vladimir Tarasenko since they have been on fire to start the season. One way to stop that line is to win offensive zone draws since they start a lot of the time in the offensive zone. The Preds will need to play a solid all around game for 60 minutes. Nashville will need a big game out of Pekka Rinne, should he be starting in this game. The Predators need to finish better since they have been outscored 25-17 in the third period of games this year.

The Blues will need to get off to a fast start and get the first goal of the game. St. Louis will need to stay out of the penalty box since the Preds have a very good power play. The Blues will need to be aware of how much the defense likes to chip in on the offensive side of the puck. St. Louis will need to play a good game at even strength to beat the Preds. The Blues will also need to have a big game from the goaltender, who will need to make saves when needed.

Sabres Slashes: Weekly Preview 11/19/17-11/25/17

The Buffalo Sabres look to string some wins together while playing four games in six days. The Sabres will look to get things going with yet another lineup change. this time it's Jack Eichel moving down in the lineup. When are the Sabres not tinkering with their struggling lineup?

The Sabres playing host to the Columbus Blue Jackets, Minnesota Wild and Edmonton Oilers. On Saturday, they will be in Montreal to face the Canadiens. The Sabres have a chance to gain some points this week as they face two teams that are struggling in the Oilers and Habs.

The Sabres will need to get a ton of traffic in front of Sergei Bobrovsky for deflections and second chances. They will need to avoid turnovers and play a smart, defensive game overall. Buffalo will also need to have a good showing from the goalie because the Blue Jackets can put some pucks in the net. The Sabres need to get off to a good start and be a lot better at even strength than they have been so far this year. Buffalo will need to take advantage of a weak road penalty kill of Columbus. The Sabres will need to pay attention when Zach Werenski, Seth Jones and Artemi Panarin are on the ice for the Blue Jackets because those three can put up some numbers in the offensive zone.

The Blue Jackets need to get their power play going and this game would be a perfect time to start since the Sabres have one of the worse penalty kills in the League. Columbus will need to have a solid 60 minute effort. The Blue Jackets will need to stay out of the penalty box because the Sabres may be struggling on the power play right now, but they still have some guys that can put the puck in the net. They will  just need to shoot the puck since the defense and goaltending hasn't been spectacular this year for Buffalo. Columbis is going to need to find a way to keep Evander Kane off the score sheet since he is first in goals and points on the Sabres.

The Wild come to town on Tuesday night, and this won't be an easy game for the Sabres. Buffalo will need to find a way to solve goaltender, Devan Dubnyk, should he start. The Sabres will need to get off to a better start since they have been outscored in the first period of games this year. Buffalo will need to play a disciplined game because the Wild have a decent power play with plenty of fire power on it. Buffalo will need to get some sustained offensive zone pressure by getting in on the forecheck, winning board battles and cycling the puck.

Minnesota needs to get the first goal of the game to take the crowd out of the game and the Sabres have only won two games when the opposition has scored first. The Wild will need to have the lead entering the third period since they only have one third period win when trailing after two periods. Minnesota will need to play a 60 minute game meaning they need to find a way to be better in the second period of games. The Wild need to attack the Sabres defense and have speed entering the offensive zone.

Buffalo will face Connor McDavid and the Edmonton Oilers on Friday. The Sabres will need to know where McDavid and Leon Draisaitl are at all times when they are on the ice. Buffalo needs to stay out of the penalty box, and play team defense. The Sabres will need to have the lead entering the final period. Buffalo will want to get more offense from the defense, which has been difficult to do this year. They need to make sure they are crisp with their passes and have easy exits out of their own zone. They also need to get some production out of the bottom six forwards, who have a combined 24 points.

The Oilers need to get their secondary scoring going and in a hurry. It has been McDavid leading this team in every offensive scoring category. They need to get more production from guys like Milan Lucic, Ryan Strome, Leon Draisaitl and company. The bottom six of the Oilers only have 20 combined points on the season. The Oilers need to get the first goal of the game and just keep attacking the Sabres. The goalie is going to need to come up big and they will also need a max effort from everyone on the ice for a full 60 minutes.

The Sabres will need to contain Jonathan Drouin and Brendan Gallagher when they take on the Habs on Saturday. Buffalo will need to get the first goal of the game to take the crowd out of the game. The Sabres need to get the power play going and have a big game from whichever goalie should make the start. Buffalo needs to be better at even strength and just attack the Habs.

The Canadiens will need to have a solid effort in this game and put the work in to win a game. They need to get off to a better start and stay out of the penalty box. The Habs will need to be good at even strength and really apply some pressure since the Sabres do allow goals and in bunches. Montreal will need to have a solid game from the goalie, and may even need the goaltender to steal them this game. The Canadiens will need to find a way to contain Jack Eichel and Evander Kane.

Leafs Notes: Weekly Preview 11/12/17-11/18/17

The Toronto Maple Leafs will only play two games this week, and that could either help them or hurt them.

The Leafs will take on the New Jersey Devils at home on Thursday night and then travel to Montreal to take on the Canadiens, who could still be without goaltender Carey Price. The Leafs will have a chance to get some more points and try to stay on pace with the Tampa Bay Lightning in the Atlantic Division.





The Leafs will need to find a way to stop the balanced lineup of the Devils since they have five regulars in the lineup with 10 or more points. Toronto will need to limit their mistakes and spend a good amount of time in the offensive zone. The Maple Leafs can spend a lot of time in the offensive zone by having a good forecheck game, getting the cycle game going and moving the puck quickly and crisply. The Leafs need to find a way to stop Taylor Hall and Will Butcher, who have been the top scoring forward and defenseman for the Devils this year. Toronto will need to figure out a way to get the puck into the back of the net since the goalies have been good this year for New Jersey. They will want to get traffic in front, deflect some pucks, be in the slot for rebounds and work from behind the net.

New Jersey will want to get the first goal of the game and make the Leafs come from behind. The Devils will want to find a way to stop Nazem Kadri and Morgan Rielly, who are both having decent seasons so far. If the Devils get down ten they need to keep attacking because the Leafs will give up some goals when they have the lead. New Jersey just needs to get pucks on net since the goaltending has been a bit shaky for the Leafs. The Devils will need to make sure that they have the lead entering the final period of the game.

The Maple Leafs will have an opportunity to pick up an important two points within the division on Saturday night. They have played okay on the road, but have played much better at home. Toronto will need to get pucks on net especially if Carey Price is still out injured for the Habs, or just coming off of injury. The Leafs need to get the first goal of the game and start putting doubts in the minds of the Habs players, and that also goes into getting off to a fast start. Toronto will need to play a solid, defensive 60 minute road game and that might not happen since the defense hasn't been great all season. The Leafs need to find a way to stop Jonathan Drouin and Shea Weber.

The Canadiens will need to get pucks on net to generate chances and make sure that players are in position for second chance opportunities. Montreal  will need to get the lead and keep attacking because if they sit back or start making mistakes then the Leafs will make them pay by using their speed to score goals. The Habs will need to get off to a better start in this game then they have in other games this year since they have been outscored handily in first periods of games. Montreal will need to find a way to contain James van Riemsdyk and Patrick Marleau, who have been able to produce points at a decent rate this year. The defense of the Canadiens are going to need to be in good position, and the gap control will need to be good between the forwards and defense so the Leafs can't force too many turnovers.

3 Keys: Sabres @ Canadiens- 11/11/17

The Buffalo Sabres will look to pick up a big two points against the Montreal Canadiens on Saturday night.

Here are three keys to the Atlantic Division game:

1.) FAST START- SABRES

The Sabres will look to get off to a fast start against a Canadiens team that could possibly be without Jonathan Drouin, Shea Weber and Carey Price. The Sabres need to establish a forecheck game early and be sure to get plenty of puck on net especially if Price isn't in goal for the Habs. Buffalo plays better when they have the lead, and they can keep attacking rather than having to play a defensive type of game in their own zone. They will also want to get the first goal of the game to take the home crowd out of the game. Buffalo needs to use its speed to win races to the puck and to spend some attack time in the offensive zone.

2.) POWER PLAY- HABS

The Canadiens haven't been so good while on the man advantage, and have only converted on 10 of its 66 power play opportunities this season. They are ranked 24th out of 31 teams on the power play this year. This would be the perfect opportunity to get the power play going since the Sabres are one of the worst road penalty killing teams in the League. The Sabres have allowed eight power play goals against while being shorthanded 26 times (69.2%). The Habs need to get setup, have quick player/puck movement and get the shot on net since the goalies do allow some goals for the Sabres.

3.) MAX PACIORETTY VS. EVANDER KANE- HABS & SABRES

Buffalo will need to keep an eye on Max Pacioretty, who has good career numbers against them. In 36 games played against the Sabres, he has 11 goals, 17 assists and 28 points, and is averaging .78 points per game. The Habs are going to need to keep an eye on Evander Kane, who has had a really good start to this season and leads the Sabres in points with 15. In 26 games played against Montreal, Kane has three goals, 15 assists and 18 points, while averaging .69 points per game against them in his career. This should be a good matchup to keep an eye on during the game since both this players can put the puck in the net.

Sabres Slashes: Weekly Preview 11/5/17-11/11/17

The Buffalo Sabres are looking to bounce back from a week where they only got two out of a possible eight points. It won't be an easy task.

The Sabres will take on the Washington Capitals on Tuesday night, and then they'll have two days off before a back-to-back situation with divisional implications. On Friday night, the Sabres will host the Florida Panthers, who have been struggling themselves. On Saturday night, Buffalo takes a trip to Montreal to face the Canadiens, who have managed to get a few wins lately.

The Sabres need to find a way to stop the balanced lineup of the Capitals. Buffalo will need to establish a forecheck, and a good cycle game to spend some time in the offensive zone. The Sabres are going to need to find a way to stop Alex Ovechkin and Evgeny Kuznetsov. Buffalo needs to get some traffic in front of the net to take away the goalie's eyes and get some deflections. The Sabres need to get the first goal of the game and then keep building off of it. The biggest key to tonight's game is to avoid turnovers because the Capitals will take advantage of them and turn them into scoring chances and/or goals.

The Caps are only playing .500 hockey in its past 10 games. They need to pressure the puck carrier of the Sabres to force turnovers because the Sabres will turn the puck over at times. Washington needs to get the early lead and keep being aggressive or the Sabres will take advantage and try to get the win. The Caps will need to find a way to slow down Jack Eichel and Evander Kane. When the Capitals are on the power play, they will need to be aware of the shorthanded presence of Eichel and Kane, who have score a few shorthanded goals this year. Washington needs to get pucks on net because the goalies for Buffalo haven't exactly been reliable this season and have let in some soft goals.

The Sabres will have two days off before taking on the Panthers at home. Buffalo will need to take advantage of a weak penalty kill of the Panthers, and they also need to use their speed to draw penalties. The Sabres need to eliminate time and space from the skilled players of Florida like Jonathan Huberdeau, Sasha Barkov, Evgenii Dadonov and Vincent Trocheck. Buffalo will also have to be aware of where and when defenseman Aaron Ekblad is on the ice because he can fire it from the point. One of the goalies is going to have to step up and win a game for the Sabres, which they haven't done enough of this year. The Sabres just need to get pucks on net since the goalies for Florida haven't exactly been Vezina-like this year.

The Panthers will need to find a way to stop the top line of the Sabres, which consists of Evander Kane, Jack Eichel and Jason Pominville. The line has combined for 38 points in 14 games so far this year. Florida will also need to be sure that they have the lead after the second period because they haven't lost a game when leading after two periods, but they are only 1-6-0 when trailing heading into the third period. The Panthers need to use their speed through the neutral zone to back Buffalo into their own zone. The two teams are going to need to fight through the physical play. The Panthers need to get off to a fast start since the Sabres have allowed 17 first period goals.

The Sabres visit the Canadiens, who could still be without an injured Carey Price. The Sabres need to make sure that they have the lead entering the third period since they give up a lot in the third period of games. Buffalo need to watch out for the Shea Weber bombs that can come from the point especially on the power play. The Sabres need to be a lot better when playing at even strength, and they need to get off to a fast start, which has been a problem this season. Buffalo is going to need to find way to contain Jonathan Drouin and Brendan Gallagher.

The Canadiens need to make sure that they get pucks on net and have plenty of traffic in front of the opposing goalie. The Habs need to find a way to take advantage of the weak road penalty kill of the Sabres. Montreal needs to get off to better starts since they have been outscored 23-14 in first period of games. The Canadiens need to play a complete game, tighten up on defense and avoid turnovers. If the Habs an get some pucks on net then they are bound to get a few goals since the Sabres goalies haven't been the best this year.

Leafs Notes: Weekly Preview 10/8/17-10/14/17

The Toronto Maple Leafs will starts its week at home and end it on the road. 

The Leafs will face the Chicago Blackhawks, New Jersey Devils and the Montreal Canadiens.  The Leafs and Blackhawks will be an interesting matchup since they have each scored 15 goals in two games to start the season. 

The Maple Leafs need to play a solid defensive game or it could be along game for this team. They have the ability to put the puck in the net, but so do the Blackhawks. Toronto will want to get shots on goals and test Anton Forsberg early because this will be his first game action of the year. Toronto needs to get the first goal and be smart with the puck, avoiding those pesky turnovers. The Maple Leafs are going to have to keep an eye on Brandon Saad, Patrick Kane and Duncan Keith since they all have decent career numbers against Toronto. 

The Blackhawks are of to a good start especially offensively, but they haven't given up much defensively either. The Hawks are going to want to pressure the defense of the Leafs especially the third pairing if the two rookies, Andreas Borgman and Calle Rosen, start the game. Connor Carrick is a game-time decision for the Leafs after suffering  an injury last game. Chicago is going to have to watch out for the speed of the Maple Leafs, who create a lot off the use of its speed. The Blackhawks are going to have to capitalize on the mistakes that the Leafs are going to make. 

On Wednesday night, the Devils make the trip to Air Canada Centre. The Leafs are going to need to stop the speed of the Devils and keep an eye on the defense since they aren't afraid to join the offensive play. Toronto needs to get the first goal to keep the crowd in the game and keep the top six of the Devils off the board. They'll need to play a smart game and keep the turnovers to a minimum because the Devils can and will make a team pay for turnovers. 

New Jersey needs to attack the Leafs and make it hard for them to get through the neutral zone with speed. The Devils need to play a sound, defensive road game because Toronto has no problem a fast-paced back-and-forth pond hockey type game. New Jersey needs to elevate the puck and get rebounds chances since both Frederik Andersen and Curtis McElhinney have good career numbers against them. If the Devils can get the first goal then they'll need to keep attacking and not sit back for the rest of the game. 

The Maple Leafs end their week with a divisional match against the Habs in Montreal. The Maple Leafs need to get off to a fast start that includes a decent forecheck and cycle game. Toronto needs to make sure that they have the lead after the first period, and if they do, don't take their feet off the gas. The Leafs need to get pucks on net whenever they have the chance and get traffic in front of the opposing goalie. Toronto is going to need to keep an eye on Tomas Plekanec since he has had a ton of success in his career against the them (69 gp,16 g, 27a, 43 its).

The Habs need to find a way to score some goals, which is not something new they are facing. They also had a lack of offense last year, but Carey Price bailed them out most games. Montreal needs to get the power play going, and start throwing pucks on net. The Habs are dangerous on the penalty kill as they already have two shorthanded goals for this year compared to their one goal at even strength. They need to get the first goal and build off of its momentum and the home crowd.