Buffalo, N.Y. (WGR 550) – Carter Hutton gets his second-straight start on Monday for the Buffalo Sabres against the Washington Capitals.
Cody Eakin is being benched for the first time all season, with Rasmus Asplund stepping into his spot at center. Matt Irwin is in on defense for Brandon Davidson, who is back on the taxi squad.
The Sabres wasted Hutton’s spectacular performance on Saturday against the Pittsburgh Penguins. The Buffalo netminder allowed just one goal on 32 shots before Pittsburgh scored two empty net goals.
Hutton made numerous big saves along the way to keep the game at 1-0, and give his team a chance to win. Hutton had allowed 15 goals in his last four starts before that.
“I don’t know what’s going on. I’m accountable too and we’re in this as a team, and I don’t know if I’ve ever been in this kind of funk at this level and it’s hard to take,” said Hutton following Saturday's loss.
The problem with Hutton, Jonas Johansson and Linus Ullmark is they don’t make enough big saves to help cover up the team’s mistakes.
“At times, a big save here or there puts me in a better position in games, especially with what we give up, but obviously I need to be better too," Hutton said. "Since Linus has been out, 'J.J.' [Johansson] and I have to be better, and I think the group has to be better too.
“For me, I know that I haven’t been good enough lately, and it’s something that weighs on me. I’m a pro and I take pride in being good, and hopefully we can find a way to be better as a whole.”
Hutton knows what makes it hard for him during a game, and he would like to see his team do those things at the other end of the ice.
“I just think we need to work harder and make it harder on goalies and driving the net," Hutton said. "Sometimes you just have to dumb your game down and keep it simple to outwork teams, and that gets you out of it.”
Buffalo is winless in the past 10 games, going 0-8-2. Against Washington this season, they’re 1-3-1.
In those five games, they haven’t been able to control Nick Backstrom, who has four goals and three assists for seven points. Alex Ovechkin hasn’t scored a goal against Buffalo in his three games, but he has three assists.
Backstrom leads the Capitals with 10 goals and 20 assists for 30 points in 27 games. That places him 12th in league scoring. Ovechkin has 10 goals and 10 assists for 20 points in 23 games.
A lower-body injury will keep Lars Eller out of Washington’s lineup. Tom Wilson is still serving his seven-game suspension handed to him by the NHL.
The Caps have won four-straight games, and eight out of their last nine.
Rookie Vitek Vanecek gets the call in goal. This season, the 25-year-old is 3-0-1 against the Sabres with a 1.92 goals-against average and a .938 save percentage. Overall, he’s 11-5-3 with a 2.88 goals-against average and a .904 save percentage.
Vanacek has only played in one of the team’s last four games, giving up four goals in a win over the New Jersey Devils. He’s let in eight goals in his last two starts.
Washington is second in the East Division, four points back of the New York Islanders and three points ahead of the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Monday’s lines;
Forward:
Skinner – Lazar – Mittelstadt
Olofsson – Staal – Reinhart
Hall – Sheahan – Thompson
Rieder – Asplund – Okposo
Defense:
Bryson – Ristolainen
Dahlin – Miller
Irwin – Montour
Join Schopp and the Bulldog for pregame coverage on WGR starting at 6 p.m. ET when they’ll be joined by Ralph Krueger, Rasmus Ristolainen and Rasmus Asplund.
