Buffalo Sabres vs Pittsburgh Penguins – 3 Bold Predictions
The Buffalo Sabres take on the Pittsburgh Penguins in a game that will have Sabres Fans wondering if they should be excited or terrified.
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The Buffalo Sabres are coming off of a recent 2-1 overtime loss against the Montreal Canadiens, and they are looking to get back into the win column. Their last few games have been average at best, but they had a glimmer of hope just last week.
Last Tuesday the Buffalo Sabres defeated the Washington Capitals 3-1 at Key Bank Center, and it was a game where they held the Capitals high flying offensive talents in check.
Alex Ovechkin did manage to score a goal, but he, Evgeny Kuznetsov, Nick Backstrom, and TJ Oshie were held silent otherwise. It was a promising look at what the Sabres could do when their system was working right.
For a team like the Penguins, this kind of game would be a welcomed sight rather than another games where Evgeni Malkin and Sidney Crosby pick on the young players and rocky defenders.
With that in mind, here are my three bold predictions for tonight’s game:
Prediction 1 – Eichel and Reinhart combine for a pair of goals.
In my recent piece, I discussed the importance of Jack Eichel and Sam Reinhart playing with one another to create a little more offensive push. The two of them communicate well and play just as well with one another, and coach Housley had them paired up against Montreal. If they have been practicing together again, and are together tonight, they will be a key source of offense for the Buffalo Sabres.
Prediction 2 – High Scoring Game
The Penguins are not a team that lacks scoring punch. In Malkin and Crosby alone they have two of the top offensive players since the mid 2000s, but Buffalo will have plenty of push back from their top two lines as well.
Evander Kane is scoring at a record pace for himself, and he has found a great amount of chemistry with Jack Eichel. On top of that, Kyle Okposo and Ryan O’Reilly are in stride right now, so having that pairing back into their regular scoring swing will make for a back and forth offensive effort between the two teams.
Prediction 3 – A Sabres Defenseman will Score A Goal
Now this one is probably the most bold of the three. Buffalo’s defensive core has yet to contribute a goal for this team despite Coach Housley’s supposed defensive style.
I think tonight is the night that they break through and put one to the back of the net.
Next: Eichel and Reinhart Need To Play Together
The Buffalo face off against the Penguins at 7:00pm EST, and it is bound to be an interesting one. Don’t miss it Sabres fans! LET’S GO BUFFALO!!