Buffalo Sabres head coach Lindy Ruff confirmed Friday that his team emerged from practice with no new injuries ahead of Saturday’s matchup against the Los Angeles Kings, though Tage Thompson, Alex Tuch, and Bo Byram were given rest days.
The Sabres are riding a wave of defensive success, having secured consecutive shutouts, extending their team shutout streak to 164 minutes and 7 seconds. Goaltenders Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen and Alex Lyon each recorded a shutout in recent games, bolstering Buffalo’s position in the Eastern Conference standings.
Lyon is on the cusp of NHL history, needing just one more road win to tie the record for most consecutive road victories, currently held by Evgeni Nabokov and Devan Dubnyk at 11. His recent 5-0 shutout against the San Jose Sharks marked his tenth consecutive road win, and he boasts a 17-2-0 record in his last 19 games. Luukkonen has as well been strong, going 12-4-1 in his last 17 appearances with a goals-against average of 2.62 and a save percentage of .915.
The Sabres’ offensive contributions have been widespread. Rasmus Dahlin broke a three-game point drought with a goal and an assist in San Jose, continuing a strong 26-game stretch where he has accumulated 10 goals and 23 assists for 33 points. Tage Thompson, who had been experiencing a scoring slump, ended a four-game point and five-game goal drought with a goal just 40 seconds into the third period against the Sharks.
Ruff highlighted the team’s resilience, noting that their recent win against San Jose demonstrated their ability to secure victories even when not playing at their best. “They didn’t play well against the Sharks, but Lyon was a brick wall,” Ruff said, as reported by WGR 550. “They proceeded to score on their next three shots in 1:43 and in a flash they had a 3-0 lead. That was the type of game they would always lose, but this season, they find ways to win, even if they don’t play well for long stretches.”
Despite their strong form, the Sabres find themselves tied in the standings with the Carolina Hurricanes, though trailing by two points for first overall in the Eastern Conference. Buffalo currently leads the Atlantic Division with a points percentage of .667, four points ahead of the Tampa Bay Lightning. Both Carolina and Tampa Bay have games scheduled this weekend, with Carolina facing Pittsburgh on Sunday and Tampa Bay visiting Edmonton on Saturday.
The Kings, who defeated the Sabres 4-1 in late January, present a different challenge. Los Angeles has gone 3-1-2 in their last six games and recently acquired forward Artemi Panarin from the New York Rangers. Panarin has quickly become a key offensive player for the Kings, registering four goals and 11 assists for 15 points in 12 games. Ruff acknowledged the threat Panarin poses. “They’ve got Panarin now who can create high finish offense, so you’ve got to be aware of that,” he stated.
Ruff noted a shift in the Kings’ playing style, observing that they are no longer as defensively focused as in the past. Los Angeles currently ranks ninth in the NHL in goals against, allowing 2.91 goals per game, while the Sabres are eighth at 2.90. However, since December 9th, Buffalo has been the league’s stingiest team, conceding only 2.43 goals per game and scoring 3.80.
The Kings currently hold the second Wild Card spot in the Western Conference, with three teams within two points of them in the standings. Goaltender Darcy Kuemper is expected to start for Los Angeles, having posted a 17-13-11 record with a 2.65 goals-against average and a .897 save percentage.
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