(WGR 550) – The Buffalo Sabres are looking to try and break a four-game losing streak on Monday night in Washington against the Capitals.
Buffalo absolutely should’ve broken the streak on Saturday. The Sabres led the Detroit Red Wings, 3-1, with 6:30 left to go in the third period and wound up losing in overtime, 4-3.
Even though the Capitals are missing Nick Backstrom and T.J. Oshie due to injury, they’re still a very good team. The Caps are currently fifth in the Metropolitan Division with a 5-2-4 record, good for 14 points. That’s tied with the Philadelphia Flyers and Columbus Blue Jackets, one point behind the New York Rangers and four back of the Carolina Hurricanes.
The Sabres' losing streak means as of now, they’d be out of the playoffs for the first time all season. The Sabres are currently 12th in the Eastern Conference, two points behind Washington, which currently sits in the East’s final playoff spot.
Sabres head coach Don Granato had an optional morning skate in Washington, so he’s not willing to say who is in goal. Craig Anderson is still nursing an upper-body injury and isn’t on the trip. Victor Olofsson, Casey Mittelstadt and Henri Jokiharju were also left home as they rehab injuries.
Buffalo has given up 14 goals in its last three games, and the team has gone from the second-best goals-against average in the NHL to 13th with a lofty 2.75 goals-against average.
Ever since Jokiharju got hurt in Game 1, Granato has gone with the same defensive pairs and it’s just not working.
“Let’s address that after, because we’re always kicking around lineup changes," Granato said when asked if the defensive pairings will change Monday. "We’re thinking similar. The facts are the facts, and they’re not favorable for us. But there’s only so many changes you have. We only have seven [defensemen] here. We have two right-shot defensemen amongst the seven, so within the context of that, you’re going do what you can.”
Sabres general manager Kevyn Adams claimed defenseman Christian Wolanin off waivers from the Los Angeles Kings on Oct. 16, but he hasn’t played a game yet for Buffalo.
Not many thought that Rasmus Asplund would be Buffalo’s leading scorer 11 games into the 2021-22 season. He has points in six-straight games, scoring three goals and five assists for eight points. Currently, Asplund’s 82-game pace is 29 goals and 45 assists for 74 points.
After a great start to the season, Dustin Tokarski has given up eight goals in his last two starts, and 11 goals in his last three.
Alex Ovechkin hasn’t slowed down a bit, as he leads the NHL with 10 goals in 11 games. His 18 points is third overall in the league.
Goaltending hasn’t been a strong point for the Caps this season.
In his rookie season last year, Vitek Vanecek owned the Sabres with a 5-1-1 record, a 2.24 goals-against average and a .927 save percentage. This season overall, he’s 2-2-3 with a 2.43 goals-against average and a .908 save percentage.
As for Ilya Samsonov, he is 3-0-1 this season with a 2.91 goals-against average and an .893 save percentage.
Washington has lost three-straight games and four out of its last five contests. They only scored more than two goals in one of those five games.
Join the Bulldog for pregame coverage on WGR starting at 6 p.m. EST, when he’ll be joined by Granato, Asplund and Arttu Ruotsalainen.
