Buffalo, N.Y. (WGR 550) – In the last 17 games, the Buffalo Sabres are 18th in the NHL in goals-for per-game and dead last in goals-against per-game at 4.56 per-game. You do have to take into account that some of those goals were empty netters against.
Buffalo has played many games where they do score four goals and get no points out of it. Granato said they’re are looking at 5-on-5 goals against and shoring that up, but he said, “As far as giving up shorthanded goals, those are focus and concentration and players are hearing from us and as we move along, things move into the unacceptable category and I’ve said you’ve got to give your guys some rope, but if they’re not learning from it, they’re going to hear from us more and they’re going to face more repercussions.”
Granato said he’s not changing his overall philosophy because he feels that teams that are great, outscore their mistakes. Granato said, “We need to develop that. We have to keep becoming a better team and develop an enhanced ability to score.”
The Sabres try to snap a four-game losing streak Tuesday with Anaheim in town. In October, Buffalo beat the Ducks in overtime. Anaheim lost one more game and then went on a streak that has them 12-4-2. Since the game in Anaheim, the Sabres are 3-12-2.
The emphasis the last few days has been how to cut done on the goals against without sacrificing offense. Buffalo has given up 20 goals in the last three games.
Malcolm Subban was back on the ice Tuesday and skated on his own. That means Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen gets the start in goal. Last season he played four games with the Sabres going 1-3-0 with a 3.88 goals against and .906 save percentage.
Kyle Okposo comes into this game with a six-game points scoring streak.
Robert Hagg is nursing a minor injury and Granato said they want to keep him out one more game.
The Ducks lost Monday in Washington, but took the game to a shootout. Anaheim holds down third place in the Pacific Division, one points behind the Edmonton Oilers and four points in back of the Calgary Flames.
Anaheim is seventh in the league, averaging 3.31 goals per-game. Last year in 48 games, Troy Terry had seven goals and 13 assists for 20 points. This season he’s blossomed into a huge offensive threat with 15 goals and 11 assists for 26 points in 25 games.
Rookie Trevor Zegras has 21 points in 24 games. Zergras was taken two picks after Buffalo selected Dylan Cozens in the 2019 NHL Draft.
The Ducks will be without captain Ryan Getzlaf and Adam Henrique due to injuries.
John Gibson played in Washington on Monday, so there’s a good chance we’ll see Anthony Stolarz in goal. He’s 3-2-1 this season with a 2.82 goals-against average and a .919 save percentage.
Join Schopp and the Bulldog for pregame coverage starting on WGR starting at 6:30 p.m. EST when they’ll be joined by Granato, Luukkonen and Jacob Bryson.
