Tim Schaller Has A Chance To Shine And Prove Himself

After the dust has now settled in a post trade deadline Buffalo Sabres team, Mikhail Grigorenko, Tim Schaller, and Jerry D’Amigo have been called up from the Rochester Americans to fill in for the traded forwards.

Being short on offense and center depth for the NHL club, Tim Murray has brought up two of the top scorers in Rochester. Schaller will have a chance to once again bolster the bottom two lines as he centers Cody Hodgson and Nick Deslauriers. Grigorenko will serve as the healthy scratch for tonight as Tyler Ennis is able to play once again.

Sabres Scope

The Sabres top line is in shambles at the moment as they had to completely redo it due to the Girgensons injury and the Stewart trade. It now has the likes of Tyler Ennis and Matt Moulson centered by Phil Varone. These guys are all fast and have a solid scoring ability and should provide a decent threat as a first line.

The real line that is key is the third line that features Tim Schaller. He has proven that he is a very hard working forward and that he deserves to play in the NHL. He leads the Americans in goals this season (15 goals) so he does provide a scoring threat. Having him centered between Cody Hodgson and Nick Deslauriers is a great idea because of wha he brings. Hodgson has been on a bit of a hot streak (at least as far as one can go on the Sabres) where he has been finding the score sheet. Having him play with Schaller will only continue to have him competing every shift.

Anders Lindback will make his first start in goal for the Sabres and fans will get their first look at him with a responsible defense that was kept in tact after the deadline had finished.

Lightning Scope

The Tampa Bay Lightning are still one of the top teams in the league right now and it is in part due to their high flying offense led by Tyler Johnson and Steven Stamkos. Those two players center the top two lines for the Lightning and are absolute dynamite when it comes to catalyzing offense.

If the Sabres hope to contain the offense of the Lightning then they need to take the offensive charge the other way. Playing defense is a fantastic thing for sure, but the offense needs to come through or else Anders Lindback will get lit up. He is a former goalie for the Lightning so he knows a bit of their style, but that will not be enough. Lindback has a tendency to overcommit and will get caught out of position a lot if the Lightning offense is allowed to hold possession.

Prediction

I have never been more clueless as far as how to interpret how this game will go. With the inexperience of the current Sabres club and the obvious lacking offense it will take a miracle for them to win tonight. I know it’s not impossible because they won against the Canucks with a similar lineup, but I still think the Sabres will get lit up for a score of 6-1 tonight. Despite that, I will still be cheering from my couch.

LET’S GO BUFFALO!!

Next: How The Sabres Deadline Deals Went

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