The Buffalo Sabres aren’t far behind in the wild card race, and this week, they have a chance to close the gap. Here are 3 bold predictions.
Ordinarily, I would have posted bold predictions for Week 12, where the Sabres played the Washington Capitals and tonight, the Minnesota Wild. However, I wrote a special Bold Predictions for 2023 piece instead to ring in the new year.
Further, with the Sabres having a three-day gap between games, it also made little sense to write a weekly bold predictions piece focusing only on the Minnesota Wild (since the 2023 piece came one day before the Capitals game). That said, I am considering tonight’s game part of Week 13 as well, if that makes any sense.
Anyway, enough talk. Let’s get to the good stuff and discuss three bold predictions for a week where the Blue and Gold can close the gap in the wild card race.
1 – Buffalo Sabres steal one from Seattle
Oh yes, those pesky Kraken are a thorn in the Sabres sides. This week, things will finally change for the better as the red hot Kraken skate into town. I’m going to get ultra-bold here and project that the Kraken come into this one undefeated in January, and guess who will hand them their first loss?
Look for a high-scoring affair here, but is it really anything Tage Thompson can’t handle? Tage will be the deciding factor in a 6-5 win over Seattle.
2 – Sabres take three games in a row
I’m going to make one bold prediction that IS NOT in the Buffalo Sabres favor – they lose to the Philadelphia Flyers. Yeah, I know it’s a game they should win, but the Sabres have lately played up to their stronger opponents like Boston and down to their weaker ones like Ottawa.
But after that loss to Philadelphia, they upset Seattle, pull off a stunner against Winnipeg, and narrowly beat Nashville on the road. Three big wins in four days will let the Blue and Gold continue to put the NHL on notice.
3 – Tage ends the week with five goals, five assists
The Legend of Tage Thompson continues to grow, and against those red-hot Kraken and Jets especially, Tage must be on top of his game. Look for some clutch moments from Number 72 in this one as he once again shows why he has become one of the league’s best.
And I’ll tell you this: Connor McDavid better move over sooner than later. Tage won’t just help the Sabres close the gap with eight points over the next five games. He will also be looking to take the lead in goal scoring.
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