Buffalo, N.Y. (WGR Sports Radio 550) - The Buffalo Sabres are on the road on Saturday to face the Detroit Red Wings after playing, arguably, their worst game of the season Friday against the New York Islanders.
Buffalo spent the evening handing the Isles free goals, helping them overcome playing without two key offensive weapons and playing the last half of the game with just four defensemen.
I would expect Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen in goal on Saturday, because Devon Levi played Friday. Luukkonen is 3-3-1 this season with a 3.31 goals-against average and an .890 save percentage.
After playing two stellar games against the Chicago Blackhawks and Dallas Stars, Luukkonen is back to inconsistency, giving up eight goals in his last two games.
The horrendous play in front of Luukkonen and Levi hasn’t helped either.
Buffalo has lost two-straight games, giving up nine goals because of poor awareness on the ice, poor mental decisions and poor puck decisions.
I sensed huge frustration from head coach Lindy Ruff after Friday’s game, because he can’t seem to get through to some of these players. It’s the same thing Don Granato experienced with this group as head coach as well.
It wouldn’t be shocking to see some lineup changes on Saturday, as Jiri Kulich, Dennis Gilbert and Jacob Bryson are fresh and ready to go. Ruff talked about his team not being hard enough in 1-on-1 battles on Friday. That is plain and simple effort, and he needs to pull some of the offenders out of the lineup.
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Tage Thompson did get an assist on Friday to extend his points streak to a career-high eight-games.
Jason Zucker has to wonder what he’s gotten himself into with this team. He’s one of the few that shows any fire or the ability to consistently play a smart, hard game. Zucker is on a four-game points streak and three-game goal streak, with points in 7-out-of-8 games, scoring three goals and six assists for nine points.
Owen Power scored a goal on Friday to extend his points streak to six games. He has two goals and six assists for eight points.
Dylan Cozens scored his first goal of the season, but it was on the power play. He didn’t play any better on the wing on Friday, and was eventually back at center between JJ Peterka and Jack Quinn.
Ryan McLeod has four goals and six points in his last eight games.
Detroit will be looking for revenge, as they lost to the Sabres on Oct. 26, 5-3. That started a three-game losing streak for the Red Wings, but Buffalo didn’t show up on Friday to play a lowly Islanders club either.
The Red Wings have given up 14 goals in its last three games.
In goal, Alex Lyon has given up 10 goals in his last two starts. If they keep alternating, Cam Talbot will play Saturday.
Talbot is 2-1-1 this season with a 3.16 goals-against average and a .913 save percentage. Talbot has given up six goals in his last two starts.
Lucas Raymond leads the way with 10 points in 10 games for Detroit. He has killed the Sabres in his young career with 17 points in 13 games.
Join Brian Koziol for pregame coverage on WGR starting at 6 p.m. ET.