Buffalo, N.Y. (WGR 550) – It’s back to reality for the Buffalo Sabres, as they visit Connor McDavid and the Edmonton Oilers on Thursday night.
Buffalo had a big win against the Vegas Golden Knights, where they beat Jack Eichel and the boys, 3-1, and had a crowd, which was like when Ryan Miller and Danny Briere wore blue and gold.
That game showed the players what’s waiting for them on the other side, if they blossom into a team that the fans want to see. Sabres general manager Kevyn Adams told me Wednesday that he went right to the locker room after the game.
“I addressed it with our players and coaches immediately after the game," Adams said. "I said, ‘More of that’s coming.’ It was special. I remember in the playoffs in the Carolina year (2006) when Buffalo scored in overtime, and in the locker room it, sounded like a concert was going on. People were chanting, and that is so amazing. I know that’s going to happen here, so I told our players that this is what we can have in this building. I’m excited for our players to earn that trust back from our fans.”
After that game, it was the 2022 Heritage Classic with practice on Saturday and the game on Sunday.
After beating the Toronto Maple Leafs, 5-2, the youngsters showed that all their talk this year on how they’re bonded like brothers isn’t just talk. Dylan Cozens flattened the league’s leading goal scorer in Auston Matthews after he cross-checked Rasmus Dahlin in the neck.
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Guys like Cozens, Casey Fitzgerald and Tage Thompson are starting to be fan favorites, because the fans can see that they care.
The one thing we know about this team is they can put together some really good hockey, and then a losing streak hits. Buffalo has two-straight wins and four wins in their last six, with all four victories against good teams.
Craig Anderson has won four out of his last five starts, and has only allowed three goals in his last two games.
Dustin Tokarski was in goal on Nov. 12 when the Sabres beat the Oilers, 3-2. Tokarski made 33 saves for the win.
With back-to-back games in Edmonton and Calgary, it’s likely both goalies will play.
Zemgus Girgensons makes his return to the lineup after missing 22 of the last 23 games with an injury. Colin Miller is likely returning after recovering from surgery that sidelined him for 23 games. Fitzgerald has an injury and isn’t on the trip, so he’ll have to go on injured reserve to make room for Miller.
In his last two games, Vinnie Hinostroza has two goals and two assists for four points. Peyton Krebs has three goals in two games.
Edmonton’s in a very tight playoff race. The Oilers are third in the Pacific Division, four points back of the Los Angeles Kings and two points ahead of the Vegas Golden Knights. Edmonton has three-straight wins after three-straight losses.
McDavid leads the NHL in scoring with 33 goals and 52 assists for 85 points in 59 games. Leon Draisaitl is third with 39 goals and 44 assists for 83 points in 60 games.
Mike Smith has missed six of seven games with injury, but he’s back in net. Smith is 5-8-1 this season with a 3.57 goals-against average and an .891 save percentage.
The Oilers will also get Jesse Puljujarvi back from injury on Thursday. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins will miss the game due to injury.
Since signing with Edmonton, former Sabres forward Evander Kane has scored 10 goals and added seven assists for 17 points in 21 games. That’s a 39-goal pace over 82 games.
Join Joe DiBiase and myself for pregame coverage on WGR starting at 8 p.m. ET when we’ll hear from Don Granato, Cozens and Kyle Okposo.
