3 reasons the Buffalo Sabres will beat the Bruins – November 12th

The Buffalo Sabres are facing a massive slump, having lost four-straight games, and tonight, they will deal with yet another elite opponent. 

Riding a four-game losing streak, the Buffalo Sabres are facing the lowest of lows so far in this young 2022 season. And it’s something we should have expected, given how young and inexperienced this team is.

When they face better opponents like the Carolina Hurricanes, Tampa Bay Lightning, and Vegas Golden Knights, their sheer youth will be exposed. And even the Arizona Coyotes, despite landing on the same rung as the Sabres, when you look at who they’ve beaten, are no slouches.

But that doesn’t mean the Sabres can’t win in tonight’s showdown with the Boston Bruins. Here are three reasons they an beat who is currently the biggest thorn in their side.

Reason #1 – Buffalo Sabres look like they are playing a familiar lineup

Yesterday at practice, the Sabres played the following lineups:

As you can see, we got Skinner-Tage-Tuch manning the first, which has arguably been the team’s best line over the last calendar year. The tenacious Cozens is also pairing with the equally-tenacious Peterka, while the fast-improving Quinn will take the left wing.

This is good news for Sabres fans, assuming this lineup is indeed what head coach Don Granato uses in tonight’s game. Over the past few contests, Granato has used different line combos, and none of them fared well, so a return to familiarity could also signal a return to the high-octane goal-scoring team the Buffalo Sabres are capable of being.

Reason #2 – Sabres have some extracurricular motivation

The Sabres numbers have been abysmal vs. the Bruins lately. Over their last 17 contests against Boston, they are 1-13-1, and 1-7-1 in all home games during that span. They also have not won a game against the Bruins over their last six meetings.

So there is a little more reason for motivation here. The Sabres will be looking to exorcise some demons tonight, and those demons will take the form of the Boston Bruins.

Reason #3 – Granato is looking for a spark

It’s no secret Granato is going to do everything he can to put his team back on track. Not only are his forwards lining up alongside some familiar faces, but he is also pairing Rasmus Dahlin with Owen Power on defense.

Last time he did this, the results were futile, with Power struggling mightily in the season’s early-going. However, the rookie defenseman has since turned into a dynamic two-way player, having settled in and becoming arguably the second-best defenseman on the roster.

With Power’s improvement and Dahlin always a threat every time he touches the puck, look for Granato’s spark to ignite in tonight’s contest. Even if the Buffalo Sabres can’t pull this one out, they will by no means lose big. But given the lineup, defensive pairings, and a little more motivation for this one, I like the team’s chances tonight.

Article Source: After Vegas craziness, no rest for Sabres as red-hot Bruins hit town by Mike Harrington 

Want your voice heard? Join the Sabre Noise team!

Write for us!