Buffalo, N.Y. (WGR 550) – The Buffalo Sabres return home on Thursday to play the St. Louis Blues after a four-game road trip.
Buffalo had lost the first three games of the trip before walking into Toronto and beating the Maple Leafs, 5-2.
Tuesday marked Owen Power’s NHL debut, and he gets to make his first appearance at home on Thursday. Power played very well against the Leafs, putting in almost 20 minutes playing with Henri Jokiharju.
Mattias Samuelsson had a very good game being paired with Rasmus Dahlin, but he didn’t take the morning skate. The 22-year-old defenseman blocked an Auston Matthews shot on Tuesday.
“Mattias is hour-to-hour, day-to-day. We can’t rule him out for tonight,” said Sabres head coach Don Granato.
Jacob Bryson slid into Samuelsson's spot on the left side with Dahlin.
Meanwhile, Granato wouldn’t announce his goalie for the game.
Cody Eakin was on the ice for the morning skate. He’s missed two games due to, what Granato called, soreness. He’s a game-time decision, but didn’t take line rushes in the morning skate.
In their last 10 games, the Sabres lead the NHL on the power play with a 38.5% success rate. Overall, the Sabres are 17th with a percentage of 20.9%.
Former St. Louis Blues first round pick Tage Thompson has 33 goals and 26 assists for 59 points in 71 games this season. The man he was traded for, Ryan O’Reilly, has 17 goals and 31 assists for 48 points in 69 games. Thompson says he still enjoys trying to show the Blues they made a mistake by trading him.
“It’s always nice," the Sabres center said following Thursday's morning skate. "Obviously it’s just another game, and you still have the same objective and the same focus. But yes, you definitely still have that chip on your shoulder, and it’s always nice to get one against them.”
The 24-year-old has 10 goals in his last 16 games, and 19 goals in his last 29 games.
Thompson played on the U.S. Under-18 National Team Development Program with Granato. Auston Matthews was also part of that group, but Thompson didn’t take the NHL by storm like Matthews did.
Thompson needed one development year with the Blues, and three more with the Sabres before breaking out this season. He says he knew he had to persevere.
“It took a little longer for me to get where I’m at now, but it’s a process, and I think you can’t compare yourself to other people," Thompson said. "Everyone progresses at different paces, but I always knew I’d eventually get there if I continued to put in the work and stay mentally strong.”
When I get an opportunity to speak with Thompson, he’s always the same way, it’s very even. You wouldn’t know if he lost by five goals or won by five goals. He says he learned that at a young age.
“I’ve had a lot of good mentorship," Thompson said. "My dad played, and he’s been a big role in my life. A lot of it, too, is just going through the adversity I have from a younger age into my early years in pro. I think that can be a difference maker, because if you ride the waves, it can be straining on you mentally. So maintaining that even-keel mindset and not letting yourself lose sight of the short-term or long-term goals.”
The Blues are a big team that plays a heavy game. Earlier this season, Buffalo didn’t handle teams like that very well, but Granato says there are ways to play it.
St. Louis couldn’t be any hotter, as the Blues have won six-straight games and has points in eight out of nine games. In that stretch, the Blues have scored four or more goals in all nine games, averaging 4.67 goals per-game. Overall, St. Louis is fifth in the NHL, averaging 3.64 goals per-game.
The Blues have not allowed a power play goal in nine games, going 14-for-14.
Join the Bulldog for pregame coverage on WGR starting at 6 p.m. ET when he’s joined by Granato, Thompson and Jeff Skinner.
Thursday Lines:
Forwards:
Skinner - Thompson - Tuch
Asplund - Mittelstadt - Olofsson
Hinostroza - Cozens - Hayden
Girgensons - Krebs - Okposo
Bjork - Eakin
Defense:
Butcher - Fitzgerald
Bryson - Dahlin
Miller - Pysyk
Power - Jokiharju
Losi and Gangi
