Buffalo Sabres: 3 bold predictions for Week 7 (Another Gauntlet)
By Sion Fawkes
The Buffalo Sabres have a tough week ahead, as they will face three playoff-caliber contenders, and two that faced off in the Stanley Cup.
The Buffalo Sabres are 9-12-0, and things are not looking any easier with the Tampa Bay Lightning coming to town to start off the brutal week. They will then face the Detroit Red Wings before a dance with the Colorado Avalanche, and, ultimately, the San Jose Sharks.
But that doesn’t mean this team won’t seize the opportunity and at least evoke some damage. So let’s get bold and make some unlikely, but not too farfetched predictions for the week.
1 – Buffalo Sabres will (at least) split the week
The most likely scenario is that the Sabres will upset the Red Wings and handle the Sharks, but I doubt this will be another Tage Thompson fest. But since we’re going bold, I’m going to say the Sabres drop their game to the Sharks with an overtime loss, take care of the Red Wings, and beat either Tampa or Colorado.
This puts them at 2-1-1 (five points) for the week, and a more respectable record of 11-13-1 (23 points). While they will still have ground to make up, the Sabres will at least show that they have been learning throughout all those November losses.
2 – Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen closes in on snatching starting goaltender duties
Luukkonen has had one bad game and one good game, though you really can’t be too hard on him for his performance against Toronto, given the poor play overall. He did have a lights out performance against the St. Louis Blues, however, and it’s something you will see this week with a healthier Buffalo Sabres lineup.
He has the opportunity to show he can keep some of the NHL’s best teams in check. And he will do just that, logging a GAA of 2.75 or less and saving at least 91% of shots on goal. Such a performance will keep him out of Rochester for a while, barring injury.
3 – Dylan Cozens logs two multiple-point games
Cozens is one of those players who I really believe is on the cusp. And with 15 points in 21 games, he is on pace to threaten 60 for the year. He will inch closer to that number this week with at least two multi-point contests. Cozens has been crashing the net and setting teammates up to get good looks. It’s only a matter of time before those pucks start going in consistently.
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I also have no doubt that his leadership skills will also remain on full display. Cozens has thus far done a phenomenal job centering Jack Quinn and J.J. Peterka. And they will, in time, transform into one of the NHL’s more accomplished lines.
(Statistics provided by Hockey-Reference)
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