Buffalo, N.Y. (WGR 550) – The Buffalo Sabres host the Chicago Blackhawks on Saturday with another new defenseman in the lineup.
Kale Clague will get his first game with the Sabres and be paired with Casey Fitzgerald, while Lawrence Pilut will sit out.
The forwards and the lines will be the same as they were on Thursday with Rasmus Asplund and Riley Sheahan out as the healthy scratches.
The NHL’s leading goaltender will be in net for the Sabres on Saturday, Craig Anderson is 2-0-0 this season with a 1.00 goals-against average and a .970 save percentage.
At the other end, Arvid Soderblom will play his fourth NHL game, and first this season. In his career, Soderblom is 0-2-0 with a 5.00 goals-against average and an .863 save percentage. Soderblom is getting his chance, because Petr Mrazek is out due to injury.
The 23-year-old has played 40 games in the American Hockey League with the Rockford IceHogs. The Blackhawks signed Soderblom out of the Swedish Hockey League in May of 2021.
Coming into this game, Tage Thompson has just one goal in seven games. Thompson had 12 shot attempts and eight shots on goal on Thursday night against the Montreal Canadiens.
Sabres head coach Don Granato says he had a chat with his No. 1 center Saturday morning.
“I think Tage always puts pressure on himself, and I think he always complicates things because he does put pressure on himself," said Granato of his convesation. "This morning, I gave him a few thoughts, but I do see this as just part of a natural process knowing his personality. He’s not in midseason form yet, he hasn’t had enough touches. You want to hurry to that point and you try to make everything perfect along the way, and it’s not very conducive to getting in the flow. But I’m confident that will resolve itself.”
The Sabres started the season winning four out of five, but now they’re on a two-game losing streak against teams that they should beat.
Buffalo scored four or more goals in four of their first five games, but the team only has three goals in its last two games. The Sabres have scored a power play goal in four of the last five games.
Rasmus Dahlin had his six-game points streak snapped on Thursday.
The Blackhawks come to town with Western New York native Pat Kane and former Sabres defenseman Jake McCabe.
Kane has eight points in seven games, but he only has two goals. Granato has coached Kane both in Chicago and at the World Championship.
“Every moment matters,” Granato said about the Hawks superstar. “He wants the puck, he wants to make a play. He’s ready to make a play at any moment or any time.”
Both men went to the World Championship together with Team USA in Finland. Kane really wanted to go, and he was the captain of that team.
“He was spectacular in all situations," Granato said. "He was our captain, and he was a natural at that. He’s a natural leader.
“You can see how players just migrate to him before practice, after practice, in the locker room, and he says the right things and leads by example.”
Kane has two goals and five assists for seven points in his last three games.
Before the season, the Blackhawks were accused of tanking. So far, it hasn’t even come close to that. They’re currently fourth in the Central Division at 4-3-0, only three points behind the first place Dallas Stars.
Chicago lost their last game to the Edmonton Oilers, but won four in-a-row before that. Mixed in there was an impressive 4-2 win against the Florida Panthers.
In that Oilers game, Chicago had 10 power plays, while Edmonton had seven.
Max Domi has three goals and three assists for six points in his last four games.
Join Brian Koziol for pregame coverage on WGR starting at 6 p.m. ET when you’ll hear from Granato, Owen Power and Clague.
