Chris Stewart And Sabres Look To End Road Woes At Senators

Let’s pray and not pray for another game like the last one. Yeah, the Buffalo Sabres pulled off a huge comeback, one that hasn’t electrified the First Niagara Center like that in years. But will it happen again? This time against the Ottawa Senators? On the road?

Dec 27, 2014; Buffalo, NY, USA; Buffalo Sabres right wing

Chris Stewart

(80) celebrates after scoring a goal against the New York Islanders during the third period at First Niagara Center. The Sabres won 4-3 in a shootout. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Hoffman-USA TODAY Sports

Jhonas Enroth and Craig Anderson will duke it out tonight when the puck drops at 7:30 p.m., as Buffalo travels up to the Canadian Tire Center, taking on the Senators, hoping for consecutive wins for the first time since 2010, after winning six straight against the former Northeast Division rivals.

And why not?

Since his lackluster 1-8-1 start to this season, the swede has flipped the script completely upside down, rolling with a 10-3-1 record over his last 14 games. Sticking with Enroth just seems right at this point. His performance in the shootout have been pristine, not losing a single time when getting to the one on one frames.

Trying to break a road slump, which has Buffalo only earning four notches in the win column all season. As some would hope, Buffalo has to find a way to try and replicate the same success that they have had on home ice. Along with that, the Buffalo Sabres will be battling injuries as well as the Senators. Ted Nolan has been left with just enough forwards to skate four lines.

Games against Ottawa are typically nail-biters, as nine of the past 11 games between the two teams have been one-goal decisions. Close games that could go either way.

It’s not just the win/loss column that hurts on the road.

Special teams seems to leave itself on the bus when Buffalo heads on the road. The Buffalo Sabres rank 28th in road power play at 7.7% as well as dead last with a 66.7% success rate on the penalty kill. Hmm, to fix the special teams may fix the problems in other teams barns, who would have thunk it?

Cody McCormick will don his jersey for the 400th time tonight, feeding off of Saturday’s win. “Coming off of that win it was a huge confidence boost.” McCormick said about the teams attitude following last game, “I know there’s no quit in this locker room.”

Chris Stewart has definitely grown into his role with Buffalo over the past five games, scoring four points (2 G, 2 A) in that timeframe, that streak even extends to coring five points in the past eight games. It’s a wonder what has been the motivation for the escalation in play, is he trying to increase his trade value, or is he firmly against the tank that everyone supposes the Sabres are trying to do?

Battling injuries and illness still, the Buffalo Sabres will be without Rasmus Ristolainen tonight, who is recovering from the flu. This adds to the missed time from Tyler Myers, who misses his fourth straight game with a lower-body injury; Tyson Strachan (lower-body), Andrej Meszaros (maintenance day) and newly recalled Mark Pysyk, were all on the ice this morning but remain a game-time decision.

Buffalo will forge ahead without Marcus Foligno, who underwent hand surgery and is out for “at least a month,” according to Nolan.

Buffalo will look to try and climb a bit in the Wild Card standings, but not by much really. A win tonight could put them in a tie with the Winnipeg Jets for seventh place and currently nine points out of a spot.

Puck drop is tonight at 7:30 p.m. Head on over to the fan chatter and try to earn a win!

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