Ottawa, ON. (WGR 550) - This is the game that many of the Buffalo Sabres have been waiting for. The team is in Ottawa to try to clinch their first playoff spot since 2011. A win of any kind will do that. The Sabres can also get in if they get a loser point and both the Philadelphia Flyers and Carolina Hurricanes win. All Rasmus Dahlin has known since he was drafted first overall by the Sabres in 2018 is losing and bad losing. He has expressed frustration with that over the years, but now that a clinching game has arrived, he doesn't want the approach to change,
"We've got to treat it like any other game, it's a division game so we have to play a playoff type hockey game, but we can't overthink it, it's just another game."
Lindy Ruff said he had no recollection of the last playoff clinching game in 2011 against the Philadelphia Flyers, but he thinks the players will have clinching tonight in the back of their minds,
"It's part of the game, that we've worked hard to get to, so you focus on winning the game and we know what winning the game means to us."
The Sabres lead the Atlantic Division with a points percentage .667. The Tampa Bay Lightning are at .662. As far as the Eastern Conference goes, the Carolina Hurricanes are the only team ahead of the Sabres at .676. The Canes are home to the Columbus Blue Jackets on Thursday while the Bolts host the Pittsburgh Penguins. Lets not forget about the Montreal Canadiens, they've won six straight games and have a points percentage of .649. If the Sabres don't win the division there's a very good chance they'd open the playoffs against Montreal. On Thursday the Habs visit the New York Rangers.
The Sabres have 100 points for the first time since 2010. This season against Ottawa, Buffalo has won 8-4 and 3-2. Alex Lyon won both those games, but for the first time since Jan. 6, Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen is getting his third consecutive start. Luukkonen is 19-8-3 and has a goals against of 2.58 and .910 save percentage.
Ruff said Sam Carrick is week-to-week, but he didn't rule out the center returning at some point of the season. With the type of hockey the Senators play, Ruff is putting Josh Dunne in the lineup between Beck Malenstyn and Jordan Greenway. Dunne hasn't played since March 5, but he said he's kept himself ready. In 31 games this season he has one goal and three assists for four points. That is the only lineup change.
Ottawa has lost three straight games after winning four in a row. Columbus holds the No. 2 Wild Card spot in the East with a points percentage of .587. The Senators are next at .581 as are the Detroit Red Wings.
Linus Ullmark gets the start in net. He's 23-11-8 with a 2.85 goals against and .886 save percentage. Tim Stutzle is their leading scorer with 32 goals and 44 assists for 76 points in 74 games. Former Sabre Dylan Cozens has 25 goals and 27 assists for 52 points in 74 games.
Join The Bulldog and me for the pregame starting at 6:00 when we'll hear from Ruff, Dahlin and Dunne.
Josh Dunne replaces the injured Sam Carrick
