The Buffalo Sabres faceoff against the Pittsburgh Penguins in what will be a battle between old and young franchises. Who will gain the upper hand?
The Buffalo Sabres are the NHL’s youngest team, and they are facing one of the oldest, most experienced squads in the Pittsburgh Penguins. The Penguins have been the NHL’s model franchise, consistently holding onto franchise cornerstones while winning three Stanley Cups (four Cup appearances) in that span.
However, there have been leaks in the Penguins, given their five-game losing streak. But this experienced hockey team remains formidable as ever. Let’s look at three game-changers and how they can make life tough for the Sabres in tonight’s matchup.
Buffalo Sabres vs. Penguins: 3 players to watch
When you think of the Penguins, Sidney Crosby is the first player that comes to mind. Once again, Crosby leads the Penguins with 11 points (4 + 7), and even at age 35, he is showing no signs of slowing down. Crosby has also shown he is still a physical player, with 14 hits already in 2022.
Evgeni Malkin is second on the team in points with nine, and the 36-year-old continues to show zero signs of slowing down, much like his teammate in Crosby. Malkin can also handle faceoffs well, having won 54.7% of them in 2022. Traditionally a second-line center, Malkin would grace the first scoring line if he played for another franchise.
Kris Letang is still the Penguins star defenseman, even at 35. When general manager Kevyn Adams said he wanted experience in the defensive rotation, many of us pulling for Buffalo held out hope Letang would come to town. But the Penguins re-signed him and so far, the aging defenseman has been beyond physical, with 15 blocks and 16 hits. Letang also has seven takeaways on the season, putting him on pace for a career high.
Overall, this Penguins team, despite the 4-4-1 record (nine points) is loaded with depth beyond their big three. While the Sabres are the hot hand and should take this game tonight, it would also be a mistake to underrate this team. With so much experience, especially among the aforementioned players above, the Penguins can easily pull out tonight’s contest.
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(Statistics provided by Hockey-Reference)