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Sabres head into Chicago tonight, puck drops at 8:30 pm eastern time. Sabres are coming off the disappointing home loss 1-3 to the Blue Jackets; Chicago heads into the contest with a 1-0 record, beating the Stars 3-2 in a SO on Thursday with a nice goal from Kane in the SO. I don't have links to interviews or line combos, but it's almost 11 am where I am, and I'm heading to work so I made the thread for something to do during work. So have at it!

Your Buffalo Sabres (4-8-2) take on the Crapitals (8-6-1) tonight at the First Key Marine Arena Center. Will they win? Idk, I just hope the actually play. Lines will come later but expect Kane - Eichel - Pomminstein to still be a thing. Sounds like Griffin - Reinhart - and Baptiste could go as a line. Poiliout - ROR - Okposo and of course the land of misfit toys with Larsson, Moulson, and whoever is left. No idea on defensmen yet. Let's go Buffalo. Rah Rah! or something... The Sabres have been off since Saturday, licking their wounds and telling themselves if not for those 4 other goals they didn't bother with, it was a 1-1 game! Nothing like a moral victory or something. While the Sabres have rested and a list of players have started skating again, the Capitals played last night in Washington against a very tough Arizona team. They managed to hold off the Glendale Coyotes and won in OT 3-2. What does this mean? It means a team that is fresh and ready to go versus the a lazy and tired Sabres squad most likely. We have seen a period of good play, or sometimes only 7-8 minutes but an entire game of actually looking good? Still waiting for that miracle. We need more from everyone but since his birthday was the other day, Sam Reinhart isn't fine and he probably knows it. That said, Eichel is still doing okay, although he really needs to find another level. I say needs to because I know it exists. What is some good news? Evander Kane. Once an outcast, now seemingly finding his grove. Is this because he is in a contract year or did it finally click for him? Don't know, don't care. His 7g, 6a for 13pts in 14 games is fantastic and a loan bright spot this season, may he continue this play.

The Sabres embark on their first road trip of the season this year, heading down to Florida to take on the Florida Panthers tonight and the Tampa Bay Lightning Saturday night. The Sabres will face a Panthers team that has come swinging out of the gates. Stalwart goaltender Luongo and his partner Montoya have combined .968 sv % to start the season, only allowing 3 goals so far. The Panthers and the Sabres will be looking to build off impressive wins against the Hurricanes and Blue Jackets. Luongo is expected to start tonight The Panthers went 4-0-1 vs Buffalo last year, although that might be a team's worst record against us last year for all we know Gionta is expected to make his season debut. Here's the game preview http://www.nhl.com/gamecenter/en/preview?id=2015020055&navid=sb:preview&intcmpid=sb-preview If the Sabres hope to make the playoffs this season, the Panthers are a good measuring stick

Bollywood comes to town Saturday night as the LA Queens attempt to take on our Buffalo Sabres in a game Buffalo is sorely looking forward to. Currently on a 3 game losing streak, the Sabres shot themselves in the foot last time around as they battled back Thursday night only to lose 4-3 in Calgary. Not only did the Sabres fight back from multi-goal deficits, but Rasmus Ristolainen had his 1st career hat trick, and the first of any Sabre player this year. Rasmus is 2nd on the team in point (7-14-21, behind ROR), and ranks 5th and 6th in all defensemen in the league in goals and points respectively. Eichel looked to be moving his feet again, Weber was Weber, and Johnson reminded us all why he's a back-up. Well, on to the next one. The key is, we looked much better that game, and hopefully we're just pissed off enough to make all of our Saturday nights that much better. LA ain't exactly the team you want to be seeing right now if you're the Sabres, but considering we ###### the bed against the Oilers, Flames, and Canucks, maybe there is no logic in hockey and we'll kick these guys' ###### all the way back to the next set of 50 Shades of Milan Lucic. The Kings last played yesterday, recording a 3-2 SO win in Pittsburgh. Quick started, making 40 saves. The Kings currently lead their division by 9 points, and are on a 6 game winning stream. Well, streaks are made for ending Given Johnson's goal in the 3rd and Quick starting last night, look for The Swede We Need and our old pal Johnas Enroth to square off in a battle of countrymen. Game Preview STATS: All Team Rankings Team Comparison Chart No Practice Friday, here's something completely random instead Forwards: 88 Jamie McGinn – 90 Ryan O'Reilly – 23 Sam Reinhart 26 Matt Moulson - 15 Jack Eichel – 9 Evander Kane 12 Brian Gionta – 22 Johan Larsson/19 Cal O'Reilly - 28 Zemgus Girgensons 44 Nicolas Deslauriers – 17 David Legwand – 82 Marcus Foligno Defense: 4 Josh Gorges – 55 Rasmus Ristolainen 25 Carlo Colaiacovo – 47 Zach Bogosian 29 Jake McCabe/6 Mike Weber – 46 Cody Franson Victims: 35 Linus Ullmark 31 Chad Johnson

Alright ya filthy animals, calm yourselves. We all know the drill, and I get it. The dump and chase sucks, our defenders are pylons, and our first periods are more disheartening than calling your ex. Hell, some of us have even started to have flashbacks to RR staring blankly at Leino, Nolan grinning like an idiot when the 4th line plays, and Myers cooing at opposing forwards entering his zone. Well, it can't last I say! We're switching it up, DD says McCabe may be back in, and Jamie McGinn's 6 game point streak will lead us to victory against these bastards. Our last late GDT, though an abysmal game, was a great turnout and a great thread, hoping we have the same tonight. The Flames have been the most disappointing team this season, which is ironic considering all of their statistics indicated they blew as much as they currently are all of last year. Hell, these ###### have LESS POINTS THAN US. So far all of the disco is dead talk, and the sky is falling, think about how these big C's feel. But, there's a catch. The Flames have won 3 straight, including a 4-2 win against SJ on Tuesday night, and reports indicate Dougie Hamilton has found his groove. Johnson in goal for Buffalo. No Ennis, no Pysyk, and for the Flames they might miss Hillar (ill) and Russel (hand self love). Fun stat, Matt Moulson hasn't scored in 16 straight games, so he will tonight Game Preview STATS: All Team Rankings Team Comparison Chart Wednesday's Practice Forwards: 88 Jamie McGinn – 90 Ryan O'Reilly – 23 Sam Reinhart 9 Evander Kane – 15 Jack Eichel – 12 Brian Gionta 26 Matt Moulson – 28 Zemgus Girgensons – 22 Johan Larsson 44 Nicolas Deslauriers – 17 David Legwand/19 Cal O'Reilly – 82 Marcus Foligno Defense: 4 Josh Gorges – 55 Rasmus Ristolainen 25 Carlo Colaiacovo – 47 Zach Bogosian 29 Jake McCabe/6 Mike Weber – 46 Cody Franson Victims: 31 Chad Johnson 35 Linus Ullmark

The Sabres will head on over to Vancouver for a Monday night showdown against Ryan Miller and the Canucks. After arguably their worst showing of the season, the Sabres will look to utilize the back-to-backs to have a quick rebound instead of dwelling on the loss in Edmonton. The Sabres beat the Canucks 3-2 in Buffalo on a late goal by Risto back in early November. Ullmark got the start and stopped 35/37 shots as the Canucks dominated the majority of the game, out possessing Buffalo significantly and hemming us in our own zone for long stretches at a time. The Sabres will have to be better on the road here, especially when Vancouver is able to put the Sedins against who they want, which is probably the Eichel line. The Canucks are coming off a 4-0 loss vs Boston on Saturday night, their fifth consecutive loss (0-3-2). The Canucks have managed just 5 goals in that stretch, and are looking to get their confidence back Miller and Markstrom having been alternating games, and given Markstrom's beating vs Boston (only 18 saves) expect Miller to start. Linus should get the nod given Johnson's Edmonton performance and Ullmark's stellar showing vs the Canucks last time around. Zemgus left early to get stitches in his lip after being hit by a puck, but he could be coming back Game Preview STATS: Canucks @ Sabres Stats (3-2 win) Our possession was miserable All Buffalo Players' Stats All Team Rankings Team Comparison Chart The lines are based on the last 2 games, though there may be some shakeup in them so I'll update them in the morning. Forwards: 9 Evander Kane – 90 Ryan O' Reilly – 23 Sam Reinhart 88 Jamie McGinn – 15 Jack Eichel – 12 Brian Gionta 26 Matt Moulson – 28 Zemgus Girgensons – 22 Johan Larsson 44 Nicolas Deslauriers – 17 David Legwand – 82 Marcus Foligno Defense: 4 Josh Gorges – 55 Rasmus Ristolainen 29 Jake McCabe – 47 Zach Bogosian 25 Carlo Colaiacovo/6 Mike Weber – 46 Cody Franson Minions: 35 Linus Ullmark 31 Chad Johnson

Man, 2 days is too damn long between games. But, we get some fun out of it, as the Buffalo Sabres will host a reunion of the Tank Wars on Friday night as the Arizona/Phoenix/Las Vegas Coyotes pad their way into downtown Buffalo. Alright guys remember now, we're rooting for the Sabres to win this time around. And boy, would the Sabres like a win right now. After falling behind early to the Red Wings on Tuesday night, the Sabres were able to claw their way back into the lead until late in the 3rd when bad penalties and poor goaltending cost us the game. Throw in the missed chances from the OT period and well...well ###### that, new game. The Sabres have had 2 days to rest and prepare for these ######, and we need to make the most of it. The Desert Dogs will come in tired and dejected after a 5-1 thrashing handed to them in Detroit on Thursday night. Anders Lindback replaced starting goalie Mike Smith after the 1st period, after Smith surrendered 3 goals on 16 shots. Short rest, on the road....must win. The Yotes are a different team this year though, much like the Sabres. Sitting at 27 points and 3rd in the Pacific Division, the youth surge that has been Domi and Duclear has kept on thriving. The Yotes are a high scoring team that lets in a lot of goals, and with Buffalo scoring 4 goals in 3 straight games, we could have a slug fest on our hands. Given Smith being replaced and on back-to-backs, and Linus playing poorly last game, look for Lindback and Johnson to start. Buffalo is still without Pysyk and Ennis, and Schaller was sent back down to Rochester. Game Preview STATS: All Buffalo Players' Stats All Team Rankings Team Comparison Chart Thursday's Practice Report Practice Report Forwards: 9 Evander Kane – 90 Ryan O' Reilly – 23 Sam Reinhart 88 Jamie McGinn – 15 Jack Eichel – 12 Brian Gionta 26 Matt Moulson – 28 Zemgus Girgensons – 22 Johan Larsson 44 Nicolas Deslauriers – 17 David Legwand – 82 Marcus Foligno Defense: 4 Josh Gorges – 55 Rasmus Ristolainen 29 Jake McCabe – 47 Zach Bogosian 25 Carlo Colaiacovo/6 Mike Weber – 46 Cody Franson Minions: 35 Linus Ullmark 31 Chad Johnson

The Buffalo Sabres will kick off the month of December by strolling into Joe Louis Arena on Tuesday night for a divisional match-up against Dylan Larkin and the Detroit Red wings. The Sabres have come out rolling from their 6 game losing streak, winning 2 straight games against the Canes and Preds, both 4-1 victories. The Sabres will look to continue their offensive groove and therefore their success as they look to edge closer to that playoff spot the Red Wings hold onto. Tonight's game will also see a squaring off of America's hockey future as USA teammates Eichel and Larkin will face one another for the first time in the NHL. The Red Wing are coming in hot though. Going 4-0-3 in their last 7, the Red Wings only have one problem, finishing; which is weird in a league where going into the 3rd leading almost promises you a win (no, I don't know how to spell guaruntee, and I never will). Detroit has blown 3rd period leads in 4 straight, 5/7, and 7 times this season overall. So, if we're down late, grab another cold one and sit back down. The Red Wings sit 6 points up (28) on the Sabres right now, and are coming off a 2-1 OT loss vs. Detroit on Sunday Given Johnson's success lately, he'd be my bet to start. Mrazek will get the nod from the Red Wings, (6-4-3, 2.19, .932%). Carlos Coliacavo (no way that's spelled right) was back at practice Monday and will play tonight, and Pysyk was also back skating. Still no Ennis on the ice. Game Preview STATS: All Buffalo Players' Stats All Team Rankings Team Comparison Chart Monday's Practice Report Forwards: 9 Evander Kane – 90 Ryan O’Reilly – 23 Sam Reinhart 26 Matt Moulson – 15 Jack Eichel – 12 Brian Gionta 44 Nicolas Deslauriers – 28 Zemgus Girgensons – 88 Jamie McGinn 82 Marcus Foligno – 59 Tim Schaller – 17 David Legwand Defense: 4 Josh Gorges – 55 Rasmus Ristolainen 25 Carlo Colaiacovo – 47 Zach Bogosian 29 Jake McCabe – 46 Cody Franson 6 Mike Weber Insane People Who Stop Pucks: 31 Chad Johnson 35 Linus Ullmark

The Buffalo Sabres will look to continue their new-found winning streak tonight as they take on the Nashville Predators in Nashville. Buffalo, coming off a 4-1 win which saw them halt a 6 game losing streak, looks to exact some revenge on a Predators team they dominated last time around, yet still lost 3-2 against. The Sabres, 7-1 after leading going into period 3, will look to score early and gain the confidence a young team seems to desperately need. Combine that with Nashville's own problems, and the first goal could be the most important one. Nashville is coming off a 3-2 OT loss in Philly on Friday night, so at least both teams are playing the second game in back to backs. Prior to the Sabres game, the Preds had been shutout for 7 consecutive periods, although that quickly changed against us. Interestingly enough, the Flyers are actually worse than we are at scoring goals than we are, yet still managed 3 against the Predators, against Rinne no less. Look for Hutton to get the start, with the back to backs and him playing well against us last time. Not sure who the Sabres will send out, but I'm betting Johnson, given his play tonight and Ullmark getting pulled against the Preds last time. Ennis has been placed on IR STATS: Nashville @ Buffalo, 3-2 Loss (All Stats) All Team Rankings Team Comparison Chart Forwards: 9 Evander Kane – 90 Ryan O'Reilly – 23 Samson Reinhart 26 Matt Moulson – 15 Jack Eichel – 12 Brian Gionta 82 Marcus Foligno – 28 Zemgus Grigensons – 44 Nicolas Deslauriers 88 Jamie McGinn– 17 David Legwand – 59 Tim Schaller Defense: 4 Josh Gorges – 55 Rasmus Ristolainen 29 Jake McCabe – 47 Zach Bogosian 25 Carlo Colaiacovo - 46 Cody Franson Goalies: -Johnson -Ullmark

The Nashville Predators will come to Buffalo with the cure in hand to the Sabres scoring woes. The Sabres, losers of 5 straight and scoring only 5 goals in that span, is desperate to find it's way back on the winning track. After coming off a 2-1 loss against St.Louis Monday night, in which the iron was heard more times than the amount of goals we've scored lately, the Sabres desperately need to snap a losing streak more than Mick Jagger trying to get some Satisfaction. The Predators are that cure. Shut out for 3 consecutive games, THREE, this cat has lost it's fangs. Taking the day off Tuesday from practice, each player was sent home and told to write a 3 paragraph essay on why they need to play less like Cody Hodgson. Sadly enough, Paul Gaustad and his 2 assists this season are still less than Hodsgon's whopping 1-2-3, which, sadly, rival Girgensons and Kane. Look for the Swede We Need to start vs. his Finnish rival, Pekka Rinne. The Sabres saw Zemgus and Weber return to practice on Tuesday afternoon, and although Kane missed with an LBI (unrelated to his MCL according to DD), he is considered probable. Game Preview STATS: St.Louis @ Buffalo, 2-1 Loss; All Stats All Team Rankings Team Comparison Chart Tuesday's Practice Report Forwards: 26 Matt Moulson – 90 Ryan O'Reilly – 12 Brian Gionta 28 Zemgus Girgensons – 15 Jack Eichel – 23 Sam Reinhart 82 Marcus Foligno – 22 Johan Larsson – 63 Tyler Ennis 44 Nicolas Deslauriers – 17 David Legwand / 59 Tim Schaller – 88 Jamie McGinn Defense: 4 Josh Gorges – 55 Rasmus Ristolainen 29 Jake McCabe/25 Carlo Colaiacovo – 46 Cody Franson 6 Mike Weber – 3 Mark Pysyk Goalies: 35 Linus Ullmark 31 Chad Johnson

Lovely day for hockey, innit?

Well, well, well. What do we have here, eh? *ahem* YYYYOOOOOOOOOUUUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR BUFFALO SABRES are coming into Dallas tonight to kick some names and take some ass as they take on the Dallas Stars in a battle of what it was and what it never should be. As Buffalo vaults themselves up into the world, the Stars slowly crumble as a season of promise has been derailed by major roster issues and a sad, sad Lindy Ruff So, how are ya boys doing you ask? Buffalo strolls into Dallas looking cooler than John Wayne and more badass than Clint Eastwood as they've reeled off 3, count'em 3, OT wins in a row against some of the best teams in the entire league. Well, actually at that stress level maybe they're more Steve Buscemi meets Bill Kilgore. Either way, the Sabres are 4-0-1 in their last 5, 6-3-1 in their last 10, and are only 5 points out of a WC spot with 2 games in hand. It's been a nice, and necessary run the Sabres have went on. Now good teams continue that by not focusing on what they've done, but what they need to do And what do they need to do? They need to beat a bad Dallas Stars team It's been a ruff, ruff season for the Stars this year around. The team who frequently dominated the West over the last few years has some major issues this season. A defense that lost Goligoski and traded for Russel has been poor at best, Seguin has been often out with injury, Benn is playing more like Girgensons than he is an Art Ross winner, and the goalie situation, which Nill sunk millions into, is still terrible. The Stars are, coincidentally, coming off 2 consecutive OT losses, most recently a 3-2 OT loss against Minnesota on Tuesday night. Dallas is 3-5-2 in their last 10, but are 12-7-6 at home this season. The last time these two teams played Tyler Ennis enjoyed his return as on his first shift he made it 1-0 Buffalo with a wicked wrister as the Sabres would go on to win comfortably 4-1 and dominate the game Game Preview Wednesday Practice Report All Stats: Dallas @ Buffalo, 4-1 win Buffalo: Forwards: 63 Tyler Ennis - 90 Ryan O'Reilly - 21 Kyle Okposo 82 Marcus Foligno - 15 Jack Eichel - 23 Sam Reinhart 9 Evander Kane - 28 Zemgus Girgensons - 12 Brian Gionta 44 Nicolas Deslauriers / 48 William Carrier - 19 Cal O'Reilly - 26 Matt Moulson Defense: 77 Dmitry Kulikov - 55 Rasmus Ristolainen 47 Zach Bogosian - 6 Cody Franson 41 Justin Falk - 38 Taylor Fedun 34 Casey Nelson Goalies: 40 Robin Lehner 31 Anders Nilsson

I have just one question for you. Are you ready? READY FOR THIS THURSDAY NIGHT WHEN YOUR BUFFALO SABRES TAKE ON THE MINNESOTA WILD IN TONIGHTS HOCCCCKKKKKEEEYYYYY GAME. DA DA-DA DAAAAAAAAAAA IT'S 12 MEN TRAPPED IN A STEEL BOARDED ICE RINK WITH BLADES ATTACHED TO THEIR FEET AS THEY'LL GIVE IT THEIR ALL TO BECOME THE NEXT NHL CHAAMMMMMPPPPP *pauses for breath (coughs)* IIIIIOOOOONNNNNNN So, are you ready?? Your Buffalo Sabres will look to rebound from a rather nasty collapse against the Flyers on Tuesday night, a collapse that saw the Sabres relinquish a 3-0 lead with 3 minutes left in the 3rd. The demise, one facilitated by the Alamo, terrible penalties taken, and questionable OT play, is one Buffalo looks to put behind them and get back to the Mendoza line as a win against Minnesota tonight puts them at .500 The Wild meanwhile sit at the top of their named division at 4-2-1, and are coming off a 5-0 drubbing of the Boston Bruins last Tuesday night. The Wild are 3-0 at home, but 1-2-1 on the road. Nilsson to get the start as Lehner is still sick. Game Preview Practice Report Buffalo: Forwards: 26 Matt Moulson - 90 Ryan O'Reilly - 21 Kyle Okposo 63 Tyler Ennis - 23 Sam Reinhart - 28 Zemgus Girgensons 82 Marcus Foligno - 22 Johan Larsson - 12 Brian Gionta 44 Nicolas Deslauriers - 27 Derek Grant - 52 Hudson Fasching Defense: 4 Josh Gorges - 55 Rasmus Ristolainen 77 Dmitry Kulikov - 47 Zach Bogosian 29 Jake McCabe - 6 Cody Franson 34 Casey Nelson Goalies: 31 Anders Nilsson Linus Ullmark

Game day!

Beat me once, shame on me. Beat me twice, and I put that little ###### rat through the glass. Your Buffalo Sabres will be looking for revenge like you do against the ass-head in the office who wears his Pats jersey and spoons with a Brady fathead in his mom's basement. A game, you think this is a game? No, this is personal. Boston is the guy who eats out of the peanut butter jar with his fingers; the guy who takes your company parking spot; the girl who eats from your plate when she insisted she wasn't hungry; the guy who doesn't smokes but will always bum one off you; that dude in the circle who didn't throw down but wants in; slow walking, close talking, mouth breathing neanderthal who's idea of an argument is to simply yell louder than you. Boston's the girl that gets mad at you for holding the door, then yells out you about chivalry; the guy who claims no chicks like him, then rocks a gem-studded douchebag vest out to the bars where he brags about the chicks he's banged. That guy that one ups every story you have; the interrupter; the complainer; and that oh so special princess who says "If you can't handle me at my worst, you don't deserve me at my best". Simply put, Boston is everything you hate in life. The Sabres, our burgeoning hero who rises from the ashes to put our city back on the map, will look to make a statement to the NHL that we are no longer the red-headed step-child of the league (Sorry bio, I'm a ginger too though. Well, 1/2). Coming off a heart-breaking 3-2 SO loss against Boston on Thursday night, one that saw the best and worst of Chad Johnson, and the worst of Dan Byslma, the Sabres will look to avenge their loss and continue the playoff push by making ground against a divisional opponent and a WC contender. Buffalo is much, much better on the road. Boston sits at 11-13-3 at home, and the Sabres are 12-11-2 on the road. Considering the away team has one each contest so far, I'll expect a Sabres win, and a better showing by DD. Look for Lehner and Rask to get the starts. Marcus Foligno is out with a LBI, and Daniel Cat-nasty will make his pro-debut. Game Preview STATS: All Stats Buffalo @ Boston (6-3 win) All Stats Boston @ Buffalo (4-1 loss) NA Right Now All Stats Boston @ Buffalo (3-2 SO loss) All Team Rankings Team Comparison Chart Friday Practice Report Buffalo: Forwards: 88 Jamie McGinn – 90 Ryan O''Reilly – 23 Sam Reinhart 28 Zemgus Girgensons – 15 Jack Eichel – 12 Brian Gionta 9 Evander Kane – 22 Johan Larsson – 44 Nicolas Deslauriers 26 Matt Moulson – 17 David Legwand – Daniel Cat-Nasty Defense: 4 Josh Gorges – 55 Rasmus Ristolainen 47 Zach Bogosian – 3 Mark Pysyk 29 Jake McCabe – 46 Cody Franson 6 Mike Weber – 25 Carlo Colaiacovo Goalies: 40 Robin Lehner 31 Chad Johnson Power Play 1 McGinn – O'Reilly – Reinhart Eichel – Ristolainen Power Play 2 Kane – Girgensons – Gionta Bogosian – Cody Franson

I swear, I don't know about the rest of you, but there's nothing quite like a Sabres - Bruins game. The Buffalo Sabres will look to throw the gahbahg to the curb as the Boston Bruins come to town. Coming off a much needed win in Montreal last night, the Sabres will look to continue their wining ways (winners of 2 straight, both divisional opponents) and continue their divisional domination in the process. Wednesday nights win, against a Price-less Canadiens team (5-20-1 in that stretch) was crucial for a young Sabres team coming rested off a much needed ASB. Eichel continued his point production with a secondary assist on a McGinn goal that saw Jack toe the line before giving it to Risto where a b-e-a-utiful pass was made to meg the Canadien's defender and tie the game. Johan Larsson, who may have finally found his spot in the NHL, would score the GWG just minutes later. Robin Lehner has continued to improve, and put in another solid performance for Buffalo The Bruins sit 12 points ahead of the Sabres, and hold on to the top WC spot at 58 points; the Penguins have 57 points. Boston is coming off a 4-3 OT loss against Toronto on Tuesday. Bergeron leads Boston with 19-25-44, Marchand with 22 goals, and Spooner with 27 assists. ROR leads Buffalo in every category, including Tim Horton's hit. The teams have split the season series so far, with Boston winning the most recent match-up in Buffalo. Bad news here: Buffalo is terrible at home, and Boston is amazing on the road (9-15-2 and 15-5-3). Well, lets knock these up to 6. I mean, come on guys. We're playing Jay tonight Look for Johnson and Rask tonight. Game Preview STATS: All Stats Buffalo @ Boston (6-3 win) All Stats Boston @ Buffalo (4-1 win) All Team Rankings Team Comparison Chart Buffalo: Forwards: 88 Jamie McGinn – 90 Ryan O''Reilly – 23 Sam Reinhart 28 Zemgus Girgensons – 15 Jack Eichel – 82 Marcus Foligno 9 Evander Kane – 22 Johan Larsson – 12 Brian Gionta 26 Matt Moulson – 17 David Legwand – 44 Nicolas Deslauriers Defense: 4 Josh Gorges – 55 Rasmus Ristolainen 47 Zach Bogosian – 3 Mark Pysyk 29 Jake McCabe – 46 Cody Franson 6 Mike Weber – 25 Carlo Colaiacovo Goalies: 31 Chad Johnson 40 Robin Lehner Power Play 1 McGinn – O'Reilly – Reinhart Eichel – Ristolainen Power Play 2 Kane – Girgensons – Gionta Bogosian – Cody Franson

###### yeah. *inhales deeply* Yyyyyyooouuuuurrrrrrr Bufffaalllooooo Sabres will head on up to the Great White North to kick some ass and take some names. And guess what folks? These Canadiens have absolutely no names. Well, not the name that counts at least. Meanwhile, we're over here, sitting like the ###### Superman of IR reports (no, not the Christopher Reeves version). We have, coming back: Des, Reinhart, and Gorges. So, we don't get Ennis. Outside of that though, this is the healthiest this group has looked all year. As for how we're playing. Hot damn, are we looking good well, some of them at least. Our boy, Jack Eichel? Well, he only has 20 points in his last 18 games, and has vaulted himself ahead in the Calder conversation; he sits only behind 32 year old Artemi Panarin in both points and goals among rookies, and should be all rested and good to continue his dominance coming off the ASB. You think Jack hated watching Larkin in the ASG? Does a bear ###### in the woods? Was my smoking hot sophmore Spanish teacher fired for sending out nudes? Did anyone expect the Spanish Inquisition? As for the team in general, well, there's a chance. We sit 13 points out of a WC spot right now, and I encourage you all to check out our schedule for the remainder of the year. It's not exactly Siberia we're being thrown into. We're getting healthy, and anyone we may trade at the deadline isn't exactly detrimental to this team's current playoff hopes. Don't dismiss the playoffs yet, folks. We may not make it, but I think we're going to have a hell of a 2nd half. Coming off a resilient 3-2 in Ottawa last Tuesday night, Buffalo has hopes in making some noise right out of the gate, and continuing that momentum until the rest of the league takes this young group of players seriously Game Preview STATS: All Stats Montreal @ Buffalo (7-2 loss) All Team Rankings Team Comparison Chart Tuesday Practice Report Buffalo: Forwards: 88 Jamie McGinn – 90 Ryan O''Reilly – 23 Sam Reinhart 28 Zemgus Girgensons – 15 Jack Eichel – 82 Marcus Foligno 9 Evander Kane – 22 Johan Larsson – 12 Brian Gionta 26 Matt Moulson – 17 David Legwand – 44 Nicolas Deslauriers Defense: 4 Josh Gorges – 55 Rasmus Ristolainen 47 Zach Bogosian – 3 Mark Pysyk 29 Jake McCabe – 46 Cody Franson 6 Mike Weber – 25 Carlo Colaiacovo Goalies: 40 Robin Lehner 31 Chad Johnson Power Play 1 McGinn – O'Reilly – Reinhart Eichel – Ristolainen Power Play 2 Kane – Girgensons – Gionta Bogosian – Cody Franson

Anyone feel like joining the Mile High Club on this fine, Wednesday night? Because that's exactly what the Buffalo Sabres will set out to do as they look to take it to the Colorado Avalanche tonight in a match-up of the lost vs the destined. The Sabres, 4-1 in their last 5 and winners of 2 straight, will look to keep the mojo going and the conga line a-swinging as they return to the old stomping ground of ROR and Jamie McGinn. Buffalo last played on Monday night in the desert, an effort that saw the Sabres kill over 10 minutes in pk time and still hold the Coyotes to 1, lonely, lonely goal. Eichel continued his 2nd half surge with 1-1-2, and Johnson is playing for his NHL life as he continues to make GMTM scratch his head. Weber has been, well, the best Weber of his career. I don't know what happened to him, but he's not only playing well, but he's actually killing it out there. Combine all of this with Bogosian losing his ###### mind and teeing off on Duclair's face like a cinderella story in the Augusta Open and Ristolainen going into, as TBJ says, "I will destroy you mode" and showing OEL exactly why balls matter on the ice, and the Sabres are starting to come together boys. Now all we need is a big cardboard poster of Kim Pegula in cheetah print and removable pieces for every win we get. The Avalanche are in the midst of a very confusing season to say the least. Currently clinging on to the last WC spot in the west, the Avalanche have had a season swirling with trade rumors and the disappointing performance of captain Gabriel Landeskog. Handcuffed by an inept front office that continues to misidentify talent and the coaching equivalent of Ted Nolan mixed with John Tortorella, the Avs need to make a playoff push and make one now if they have any hope of maintaining a shred of confidence in that core. If not, Barrie leaves, and Duchene is likely trade fodder. The Avs are coming off a 2-1 win in Winnipeg on Monday night, one that saw Varlamov stop 36 shots faced. The Sabres may see the return of Josh Gorges to the lineup; out with an UBI for the last two games, Gorges returned to a full practice on Tuesday, although he may get snubbed due to what Byslma heralded as the best defensive performance of the year against the Coyotes on Monday night. The Avs may be without defenseman Erik Johnson again; he's been on IR since January 4th Varlamov will get the start, and Lehner will go for Buffalo. Grigorenko returns to the lineup for the Avs tonight specifically for this game. Game Preview STATS: All Team Rankings Team Comparison Chart Tuesday Practice Report Forwards: 9 Evander Kane – 90 Ryan O'Reilly – 23 Sam Reinhart 84 Philip Varone – 15 Jack Eichel – 88 Jamie McGinn 82 Marcus Foligno – 22 Johan Larsson – Brian Gionta 26 Matt Moulson – 59 Tim Schaller – 17 David Legwand Defense: 47 Zach Bogosian – 55 Rasmus Ristolainen 29 Jake McCabe – 46 Cody Franson 6 Mike Weber – 3 Mark Pysyk 4 Josh Gorges – 25 Carlo Colaiacovo Goalies: 40 Robin Lehner 31 Chad Johnson

Yoooouuuurrrr Buffalo Sabres will look to continue their winning ways of late as they travel out to the desert and look to rip the tit right of the mouth of Remus and Romulin as they play the Arizona Coyotes. The Sabres, 3-1 in their last 4 and coming off a dominating performance against Washington last Saturday, one that saw the Sabres chase Vezina candidate Holtby and the AHL come to life, will look to start a streak of games that will ultimately have them end 30-7 in their last 37 games, thereby getting into the playoffs and and fulfilling miracles unseen since a nip slip gave us youtube and George Bush finished 'Green Eggs and Ham'. With any luck we'll see Eichel get off the snide, Reinhart continue to keep pace, Zemgus will be back, and I won't run out of beer. Ahhh the Yotes. Every time we play them it's like seeing that old flame across the bar. That one where everything was both ridiculous but exciting at the same time? She kicked your dash and threw that necklace out the window, but in the end you went home with her roommate and she got Dylan Strome? Good times. Anyway, back to these Roman cubs from hell. For, is that not where Domi and Duclair represent? The fabled tale of twins set out to create a new city of destiny, Domi and Duclair have quickly put the league on notice that not only is hockey alive and well in the desert, but Eichel, McDavid, and Larkin aren't the only rooks worth having. Yet for all of their bluster and talent, they are still young, and as we all know, when in Rome, don't build it in a day. Or something like that. The Yotes are 6-2-2 in their last 10, but are coming off a 2-0 loss against NJ on Friday night, only the 2nd time all season they've been shutout. The last meeting between the teams saw Mike Smith have a very shaky start, stopping 23/27 shots, including a shg by Kane and a goal by Reinhart. Max Domi shined, scoring 2 goals, the only two Johnson would let in on 20 shots. Steve Downie was waived; recently acquired Tinordi may get his first start as a Yote; Zemgus is unknown; Lehner and Dominque get the starts. Game Preview STATS: Arizona @ Buffalo, 5-2 win All Team Rankings Team Comparison Chart Buffalo: O'Reilly's: 9 Evander Kane – 90 Ryan O'Reilly – 23 Sam Reinhart 84 Phil Varrone – 15 Jack Eichel – 88 Jamie McGinn 82 Marcus Foligno – 22 Johan Larsson – 12 Brian Gionta 26 Matt Moulson – 59 Tim Schaller- 17 David Legwand Risto's: 47 Zach Bogosian– 55 Rasmus Ristolainen 29 Jake McCabe – 46 Cody Franson 6 Mike Weber – 3 Mark Pysyk 25 Carlo Colaiacovo – 4 Josh Gorges Unknowns: 31 Chad Johnson 40 Robin Lehner

###### it, we hit a bump, ###### happens. The Bruins came in, and reminded us we have a long way to go. Like we didn't know that? We all knew that, but it's still there, within our grasp, and dammit we're going to seize it. 2-1 in our last 3, I say we've started a roll, one that continues against the Washington Capitals tonight as Buffalo looks to bounce back and get some much needed points before the All-Star break. The Sabres tested out Lehner against the Bruins on Friday night, and although Lehmer had some shaky moments, it's to be expected of a goalie starting his first game off a high ankle sprain. Apparently we lost some (more) players too, where Thomas the Latvian Locomotive left with a UBI and Kane left after being hit somewhere in his knee/shin. Good news is, Kane returned. Bad news is, Zemgus did not. Good news is, we're watching hockey. Bad news is...nothing. Not a single, damn thing. We're gonna win tonight, and the next game, and we're going to get some awesome draft picks while watching ROR mold these rooks into the next Isaac Newtons on skates (you know, without the part where Newton never got laid, and tried for years to make gold, and....well he made Calculus, so you should all love him) These guys, these guys right here?! These 'Washington Capitals'? Well, turns out they're pretty ###### good. Really ###### good, actually. And we're back to our old narrative here: the Caps have won 5 straight, and are currently the best team in the NHL (points wise, at least). Ovechkin has his 500, a nice gold stick, Kuznetsov is becoming a star, Williams and Oshie give them legitimate threats on the wings, and Holtby is going to win a Vezina, and it's not even close with him. The Caps will look for the season sweep against us, though it's huge to note we've played them well thus far, something we seem to do against the bigger teams. Zemgus is out, pray that Pysyk is in, and Johnson starts. Holtby will start, because we're all ######. Also, we're wearing our home whites tonight, the first of a series of games in which we will Game Preview STATS: Washington @ Buffalo, 5-2 loss Buffalo @ Washington, 2-0 loss All Team Rankings Team Comparison Chart Buffalo: Forwards: 9 Evander Kane – 90 Ryan O'Reilly – 88 Jamie McGinn 28 Zemgus Girgensons – 15 Jack Eichel – 23 Sam Reinhart 82 Marcus Foligno – 22 Johan Larsson – 12 Brian Gionta 26 Matt Moulson – 59 Tim Schaller- 17 David Legwand Pysyks: 4 Josh Gorges – 55 Rasmus Ristolainen 29 Jake McCabe – 47 Zach Bogosian 6 Mike Weber – 46 Cody Franson 25 Carlo Colaiacovo – 3 Mark Pysyk Swedes: 40 Robin Lehner 31 Chad Johnson

Well, well, well, what do we have here? A winning streak, eh? A full roster (almost), eh? A DIVISION RIVAL, EH?!? You're damn right, folks. Strap on your helmets and get an extra pair of shorts, because the Buffalo Sabres are about to open a can of whoop-ass on the Boston Bruins tonight in a match-up of playoff hopefuls and divisional hatred. The Sabres, winners of 2 straight, including a resilient game in Winnipeg and an impressive performance against the playoff bound Minnesota Wild last Tuesday night, will look to keep the ball rolling and gain 2 points on the current WC team, the Boston Bruins. The Sabres will get a nice jolt in the arm as Mark Pysyk and Robin Lehner return, although it is uncertain if either will play, but shhh, I'm on a roll here. For the last few games, we've seen a major turnaround in these young Buffalo stalwarts of ours: we've started scoring early, and first. A dreadful performance thus far in terms of outputting numbers on the board (in our favor) in the first, the Sabres have made it a top priority to get going earlier, and to start playing with a lead. The Bruins, well, ###### these guys. 2-7-1 in their last 10, and 1-21 on their current road trip, the Bruins are in a bit of a free fall here, and a lot of it has to do with their incredible reliance on their pp. The Bruins hold the best pp in the league, at 28.4%, and last I heard 5-5 play only accounted for 69% of their offense. The key is pretty simple here guys, keep these jack-wagons off the pp. The Bruins are coming off a 3-2 loss in Philly Wednesday night, one that saw them relinquish a 3rd period lead. DD has been silent on who the goalie is, but my money is on Lehner tonight, just because throwing him to the wolves against the Caps would just be brutal. On the other hand, Lehner has had a ton of travel, a game, and a practice all in the last 24 hours, so I'm not sure. Gustavsson gets the start, Kreci is out, and Pastrnak is questionable; sat out last game in Philly. Game Preview STATS: Buffalo @ Chicago, 6-3 win (NA right now, I'll try again in the morning All Team Rankings Team Comparison Chart Wednesday Practice Report Buffalo: Forwards: 9 Evander Kane – 90 Ryan O'Reilly – 88 Jamie McGinn 28 Zemgus Girgensons – 15 Jack Eichel – 23 Sam Reinhart 82 Marcus Foligno – 22 Johan Larsson – 12 Brian Gionta 26 Matt Moulson – 59 Tim Schaller- 17 David Legwand Pysyks: 4 Josh Gorges – 55 Rasmus Ristolainen 29 Jake McCabe – 47 Zach Bogosian 6 Mike Weber – 46 Cody Franson 25 Carlo Colaiacovo – 3 Mark Pysyk Swedes: 40 Robin Lehner 31 Chad Johnson Boston: Forwards: Brad Marchand – Patrice Bergeron – Brett Connolly Matt Beleskey – Ryan Spooner – Loui Eriksson Frank Vatrano – Joonas Kemppainen – Jimmy Hayes Zac Rinaldo – Max Talbot – Landon Ferraro Defense: Zdeno Chara – Zach Trotman Dennis Seidenberg – Colin Miller Torey Krug – Kevan Miller Goalies: Jonas Gustavsson Tuukka Rask Injured: David Pastrnak (upper body), David Krejci (upper body), Adam McQuaid (upper body), Chris Kelly (broken left femur)

LeBron returns to Cleaveland, Jordan to Chicago, Gretzky to Edmonton, and, now, Evander Kane and Zach Bogosian will return to exact vengeance upon the Winnipeg Jets in a match-up of personal hatred on a Sudnay afternoon. The Sabres, well, we've lost 6 straight. You know what I think about that? I say ###### that. It's all just a power up to bigger and better things. We played well against Chicago, hell, we've played well this entire damn losing streak! Streaks are made to be broken boys and girls, and today we will bend Winnipeg over a barrel and show them the 50 states....or however many provinces Canada has. 7? 8? ###### it, they're seeing them all. The Jets, and I can't believe I can finally type this, face a similar situation to the Sabres. Sitting last in their division and paddling at .500 both overall and in their last 10, the Jets will look to forget their recent OT loss at the hands of the Stars on Thursday night and return to their paddling ways. A disappointing season for sure thus far for the Jets, and with big FA questions looming, you have to wonder at their mentality moving forward. The Sabres will also see familiar foes Tyler Myers and Drew Stafford Sunday afternoon as well. If anyone wants any reconciliation on our season thus far, I encourage you to watch Tyler Myers. Game Preview (N/A) right now STATS: All Team Rankings Team Comparison Chart Saturday Practice Report Sophomore Prom Dates: 9 Evander Kane – 90 Ryan O'Reilly – 88 Jamie McGinn 23 Sam Reinhart – 15 Jack Eichel – 12 Brian Gionta 82 Marcus Foligno – 22 Johan Larsson – 28 Zemgus Grigensons 26 Matt Moulson – 59 Tim Schaller – 17 David Legwand Obstacles: 4 Josh Gorges – 55 Rasmus Ristolainen 29 Jake McCabe – 47 Zach Bogosian 6 Mike Weber – 46 Cody Franson 25 Carlo Colaiacovo Goalies: 31 Chad Johnson 35 Linus Ullmark

EVERYONE CALM DOWN. NO TANKING IN THE GDT. Good, great, grande, wonderful! Now that we have that out of the way with, we can begin. The Buffalo Sabres, riding a 5 game losing streak and sitting at 29th, 1 point ahead of the BJ's and 3 behind the Oilers, are looking to make a playoff push and who else to make a statement against the the NHL's golden boys, the Chicago Blackhawks. The Sabres are coming off a 5-1 loss against Florida on Tuesday night, one that highlighted our teams complete lack of defensive awareness and the struggles of the Latvian Locomotive. But, we did see an amazing no-look pass from Eichel to Reinhart, and the crowd didn't cheer for losses, so we're getting somewhere. The Blackhawks, like the Kings, Red Wings, Panthers, etc., are coming off of their best hockey this season (yay for us). Chicago has, ironically, won 5 straight, and will look to keep the domination of Panarin - Anisimov - Kane rolling high; Panarin leads all rookies in goals, assists, +/-, and points, and Kane is on his way to an MVP season. The Blackhawks are coming off a home-and-home sweep of the Pens, one that saw the Hawks outshoot the Pens 36 - 18, and Panarin scoring 2 goals. The Hawks and Sabres have met once already this season, in a highly controversial game in which Buffalo was flagged for 2 penalties on the same play, allowing Chicago to tie the game in the last minute and ultimately win in a SO. Game Preview STATS: Chicago @ Buffalo, 3-2 SO loss All Team Rankings Team Comparison Chart Thursday Practice Report THURSDAY'S PRACTICE Forwards: 9 Evander Kane – 90 Ryan O'Reilly – 23 Sam Reinhart 28 Zemgus Girgensons – 15 Jack Eichel – 88 Jamie McGinn 82 Marcus Foligno – 22 Johan Larson – 12 Brian Gionta 26 Matt Moulson – 59 Tim Schaller – 17 David Legwand Pylons: 4 Josh Gorges – 46 Cody Franson 29 Jake McCabe –47 Zach Bogosian/55 Rasmus Ristolainen 25 Carlo Colaiacovo – 6 Mike Weber Goalies: 31 Chad Johnson 35 Linus Ullmark BTW, you guys like this image, or the actual players?

Yooouuuuurrrrr Buffalo Sabres will become your local zoo Tuesday night as they look to tame the ferocious Florida Panthers in a division grudge match that pits those who are free-falling vs those that are sky rocketing. The Sabres, unfortunately, are the former. Stuck at 4 straight losses and a continuing downward trend further and further away from that elusive .500 mark, Buffalo will look to rebound against a tough Panthers team tonight. The Sabres seem to play the wrong game on the wrong nights; we score 3 goals over 3 games with great goal tending, and then scoring 3 in one game and Johnson blows it. But hey, Jagr is due for a stroke and I hear panthers don't do well this far north, so we could have something here. The Panthers meanwhile, are the hottest team in the league (seriously this is become bull-######. I write a ton of these, and Detroit, Washington, LA, and Dallas all had like 7 game winning streaks when we met them. ###### A'.) Florida has won a franchise record 9 straight, as Barkov and Jagr have become the leagues new dynamic duo and Luongo looks like the goalie that took the Canucks to the Cup. Guess who sits at the top of our division right now? No, not Montreal, and no, not Tampa Bay. Yes, it's these Florida Panthers. They've started selling out crowds and the kids look for real. Look for Ullmark to start (thank God), and Luongo to get the start. The Panthers are without David Bolland, and the Sabres are without Pysyk, Ennis, and Des. Schaller has been called up to become Matt Ellis 2.0 Game Preview STATS: All Stats Buffalo @ Florida (3-2 loss) All Stats Buffalo @ Florida (3-2 win) All Team Rankings Team Comparison Chart Monday Practice Report (Lines per Liger) Forwards: Kane - O'Reilly - Reinhart Girgensons - Eichel - McGinn Moulson - Larsson - Gionta Foligno - Schaller - Legwand Defense: Gorges - Ristolainen McCabe - Bogosian Colaiacovo - Franson Weber - Pysyk Goalies: The Swede We Need

The Buffalo Sabres will play host to division rivals the Detroit Red Wings Saturday in a little bit of afternoon delight to kick off the new year. Buffalo has had a tough time of it of late, losing 3 straight including 2 against the leagues best team in the Caps. Most recently, Buffalo's shot barrage method against the Islanders yielded a 2-1 loss, as Buffalo continued to struggle offensively, scoring 3 goals in the last 3 games combined. The return and subsequent loss of Tyler Ennis proved little difference in the Sabres scoring, and one starts to wonder just how valuable Pysyk is, and how much longer Reinhart stays with ROR. The Red Wings find themselves in a similar struggle. Losers of 3 straight, Detroit will look to rebound from a 5-2 loss against Pittsburgh last Thursday, a contest that saw Mrazek go 32/36. The Wings are also struggling to find the right line combinations, and many are starting to question rookie coach Blashill's combinations. Blashill's team find themselves at 43 points for the 2nd WC spot, a 1 point lead ahead of Ottawa The Red Wings may be without Jurco (UBI), and Buffalo will miss Pysyk and Ennis (maybe). Look for Mrazek to get the start. Game Preview STATS: All Stats Buffalo @ Detroit (5-4 SO loss) All Stats Buffalo @ Detroit (2-1 win) All Team Rankings Team Comparison Chart Friday Practice Report Buffalo: Forwards: 88 Jamie McGinn – 90 Ryan O’Reilly – 23 Sam Reinhart 28 Zemgus Girgensons – 15 Jack Eichel – 12 Brian Gionta 9 Evander Kane – 22 Johan Larsson – 26 Matt Moulson 44 Nicolas Deslauriers – 17 David Legwand – 82 Marcus Foligno Defense: 4 Josh Gorges – 55 Rasmus Ristolainen 25 Carlo Colaiacovo – 47 Zach Bogosian 6 Mike Weber – 46 Cody Franson Johnsons: 31 Chad Johnson 35 Linus Ullmark 40 Robin Lehner