Buffalo opens in Calgary against the Flames Monday night.
By Chris Ryndak / Sabres.com
The Sabres are on the road tonight in Calgary. Join us for the GMC Game Night pregame show starting at 8:30 p.m. on MSG. Then Dan and RJ have the call at 9 on MSG and WGR 550.
Here’s what you need to know.
Buffalo was back at practice on Sunday following their 7-1 loss to the Dallas Stars on Saturday.
From the Ice Level Practice Report…
Phil Housley said following a 7-1 loss on Saturday that if the Buffalo Sabres weren’t going to work hard in front of their home crowd, then they’d have to make up for it in practice. They did so on Sunday in an intense, fast-paced session at HarborCenter.
For the majority of the 45-minute practice, the Sabres skated with the puck. For the last few minutes, they skated without it.
“We don’t deserve anything else,” goaltender Robin Lehner said. “It’s frustrating for a lot of people, because we have a structure in place, we have a game plan in place and we’re just not doing it. So, we’ve got to practice until we learn.”
Scott Wilson won a pair of Stanley Cups in Pittsburgh, and thus knows what it takes to win in the NHL. He was promoted to a line with Ryan O’Reilly and Sam Reinhart at practice on Sunday, and suggested Buffalo’s issues may be more a matter of working smarter than harder.
“Any time there’s arguments about compete level, obviously it’s not good,” Wilson said. “At the same time, I can pretty much talk for everybody that we’re trying out there. It’s not like we’re not trying and battling.
“Obviously, coaches think we have an extra edge to our game that we need to get to and I think all the guys agree. But at the same time, we’re trying to compete out there every night and get some wins for the fans and try and turn this thing around.”
Tonight’s matchup
From the Game Notes
Tonight’s game kicks off a three-game Pacific Division road trip for the Sabres. It continues tomorrow night at Edmonton and wraps up on Thursday night in Vancouver.
After going 2-0-1 in their last three meetings, a win or overtime loss tonight would give the Sabres points in four straight games against the Flames for the first time since they went 7-0-2 against Calgary from Feb. 18, 1997 to Nov. 23, 2001.
The home team has won 18 of the last 20 games between these teams, dating back to the 1999-00 season. The Sabres’ last win in Calgary was on Oct. 18, 2003.
Ryan O’Reilly has 14 points (5+9) in his last 11 games against the Flames, including five multi-point efforts. He enters tonight’s game on a six-game point streak against Calgary, having tallied nine points (3+6) in those six games.
Kyle Okposo has 10 points (2+8) in 10 career games against the Flames, including three two-point games in his last five meetings with Calgary.
Evander Kane has eight points (3+5) in eight career games against Calgary.
Jack Eichel enters tonight’s game on a five-game point streak, with nine points (3+6) in those games.
Kyle Okposo has recorded 10 points (2+8) in his last 10 games.
Ryan O’Reilly has recorded five points (2+3) in his last five games.
Rasmus Ristolainen has nine points (3+6) in his last nine games, dating back to Dec. 29, despite getting a game misconduct after just 5:43 of ice time in one of those games. Ristolainen’s nine points during that span tied for third among NHL defensemen entering play Sunday.