The Buffalo Sabres will face the NHL’s best team, the Boston Bruins, in a New Year’s Eve showdown to close out 2022. And they got some opportunities.
The Buffalo Sabres are riding a winning streak and have a better chance to upend the Boston Bruins than many may think. For one, the Blue and Gold are a high-octane team that is second in the league in goals scored. And yeah, I know, Boston is number one. But Buffalo isn’t far behind, and they have played in fewer games.
The Sabres are also much younger, meaning that if they keep this one close, you can expect a big third period against the aging Bruins. In fact, at this point in the season, Buffalo is still the NHL’s youngest team, and the Bruins are the fourth oldest.
That said, it wouldn’t surprise me if the Sabres pulled off a major upset in this one. But the upset itself isn’t the only opportunity. Here are three more.
1 – Buffalo Sabres can end Boston’s regulation home winning streak
This may be the smallest of the three opportunities on the list, since the other two pertain more to the Sabres than this one. Either way, someone needs to end the Bruins regulation home winning streak, where they are 18-0-2 this season. And for each team playing their next road game against them, this unique opportunity is there until someone capitalizes on it.
What’s more impressive? Both of Boston’s home losses came down to shootouts. Therefore, even if the Sabres upset the Bruins in overtime, they still did something no other team in the league has done this year.
2 – Sabres can go into the New Year on a six-game winning streak
I’ve said it so many times: Who would’ve thought the Buffalo Sabres would be 17-14-2 (36 points) heading into the final game of 2022? And who would have thought they’d be enjoying winning streaks like these while pouring the goals onto even some of the NHL’s best teams?
That said, the Blue and Gold are more than capable of beating Boston in this one. Sure, the Bruins have only given up 78 goals this year, which is first in the NHL. But going up against a great scoring team like the Sabres, anything is possible here.
3 – Sabres can exorcise their Boston demons
Since December 29th, 2018, the Buffalo Sabres are 1-14-3 against the Bruins, and during the Don Granato Era, they are 1-10-1 vs. one of their top rivals. In short, they have been unbelievably bad vs. Boston. But now that they are on the highest of season highs, they have an opportunity to ride that momentum this Saturday.
And better yet, the Blue and Gold have played better on the road, posting a 9-6-0 record. So perhaps it’s better they’re traveling to the Atlantic Coast as opposed to hosting the Bruins in their own building. This time around, it gives them a better chance to exorcise those Boston-sized demons.
(Data provided by Buffalo Hockey Central)
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