Las Vegas, Nev. (WGR Sports Radio 550) - The Buffalo Sabres come into Las Vegas to play the NHL’s No. 1 team, the Vegas Golden Knights, with two-straight losses and three wins in 18 games.
Buffalo has only picked up 10 out of a possible 36 points, which is a .278 points percentage.
They also have to be reeling after blowing a 3-0 lead in Colorado, and a 5-3 lead with just under three minutes left to lose in overtime, 6-5.
Colorado scored four goals in the third period, and one in overtime on goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen.
On Saturday morning, head coach Lindy Ruff said that Jacob Bryson is sick, so Dennis Gilbert will play on the blue line. Meanwhile, Nic Aube-Kubel will go in for Sam Lafferty on the wing.
Buffalo went 2-for-3 on the power play against the Avalanche, and are now six of their last 13 in their last five games where they’ve had a power play.
Tha Sabres have also gone 9-for-9 on their last 5-on-4 penalty kills.
Buffalo started Saturday off as the Eastern Conference’s worst team. The Sabres' .423 points percentage is the fourth-worst in the NHL.
However, Buffalo has won three-straight games against the Golden Knights, outscoring them 15-6.
Jason Zucker has six goals and three assists for nine points in his last six games.
Tage Thompson has points in five-straight games with two goals and six assists for eight points.
Bo Byram has points in four-straight games.
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Vegas can play the game any way you want to. The Golden Knights are fourth in the NHL, averaging 3.55 goals per-game, and are seventh with a goals-against average of 2.71.
Jack Eichel is eighth in league scoring with 50 points. His 40 assists are second behind Nate MacKinnon, who has 50.
The Golden Knights have won 7-of-8 games, and 11-of-13. They’ve been winning without their power play, which is just 1-of-13 in their last nine games.
Vegas captain Mark Stone has only had five games this season where he hasn’t recorded, at least, one point.
Recently, Adin Hill and Ilya Samsonov have been alternating games. If they continue that trend on Saturday, it’s Hill’s turn against Buffalo.
Join Brian Koziol and myself for pregame coverage on WGR starting at 9 p.m. EST when you’ll hear from Ruff, Owen Power and Beck Malenstyn.