For the first time since December, the Buffalo Sabres have lost three straight, with the latest being a 5-2 loss to the Detroit Red Wings. With only nine games left in the regular season, they can't afford to let this losing streak continue. Unfortunately, the coaching staff doesn't have much time to think about changes as they are back on the ice later today against the Seattle Kraken.
Even with the quick turnaround, the Sabres do have some options they should explore for this game to hopefully get back on track. These are three line changes that make sense for the Buffalo Sabres.
Move Zach Benson up to the top line
Recently, Zach Benson has been working on the fourth line and has had a lot of success with three straight goals entering the game against the Red Wings. The Sabres didn't have Noah Ostlund for this game due to an injury so Benson moved up to the line with Josh Norris and Josh Doan and unfortunately saw his goal streak come to an end.
The Sabres need to shake things up, and while Peyton Krebs has been good on the top line, the addition of Benson next to Tage Thompson and Alex Tuch gives this line a much higher ceiling. It is something Lindy Ruff has gone to at times this season in-game to try to give the Sabres a spark.
When considering that they have struggled early in the game, it could make sense to go with this line right from the start.
The question of where Krebs plays if Benson replaces him is entirely dependant on if Noah Ostlund is ready to play. If he is available, then Krebs fits great on that fourth line next to Sam Carrick and Beck Malenstyn. However, if Ostlund is not able to play, then Krebs plays on the third line with Norris and Doan.
Recall Zach Metsa and pair him with Michael Kesselring
On Thursday, the Buffalo Sabres made the surprising move of sending Metsa down to Rochester. The decision seemed entirely based on the fact that the coaching staff wanted to get Timmins up to speed after an extended absence. Since Metsa would not be getting ice time, the thought is that he could continue to stay fresh in Rochester instead of just being a healthy scratch.
However, after two games not in the lineup, it is clear that the third pair is better when Metsa is on the ice, and the Sabres, at this point, need to be playing their best players. For Buffalo, they should take it a step further and make a complete change for that final defensive pair.
Logan Stanley is coming off his worst game with Buffalo and made costly mistakes with two penalties against the Red Wings, one of which Detroit would convert into a goal on the power play.
One player who has been out of the rotation for the majority of this month has been Michael Kesselring. There is no question that he has not played up to expectations in his first season in Buffalo but injuries have seemed to play a big factor in that.
However, he hasn't played a game in over two weeks, and an extended break could be exactly what was needed to get past any lingering injuries. Metsa has shown he plays well with pretty much everyone on this blueline, and even Stanley has had some of his best games with Metsa. While it is not a perfect left-right pair as Kesselring and Metsa are both righties, it is something that could work and is worth a look.
It is tough to make changes in the second half of a back-to-back, but with the regular season quickly coming to an end, the Sabres really can't afford to wait too long. These are a few line changes that make sense for Buffalo to implement against Seattle on Saturday.