GDT: 2/24/15 - SABRES (17-38-5) at BLUE JACKETS (26-28-4) TV: MSG-B, BELL TV - 7 PM ET

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vs.

NHL.com Game Preview: Sabres stick with Neuvirth as they face Blue Jackets

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Season series: Cam Atkinson had the decisive goal with 7:15 remaining as the Columbus Blue Jackets defeated the Buffalo Sabres in their first game this season. Jack Skille and Artem Anisimov also scored for the Blue Jackets. Zemgus Girgensons had the lone goal for the Sabres.

Sabres Digital Press Box Game Preview: 2/24/15 at CBJ

TONIGHT’S GAME

SABRES at BLUE JACKETS
This is the second of three meetings between the Sabres and Blue Jackets this season.
Last meeting: Columbus defeated Buffalo, 3-1, in Buffalo on Oct. 9
Next meeting: Friday, April 10 in Columbus
The Sabres are 4-5-1 in their last 10 games vs. the Blue Jackets; 2-4-1 on the road
This is the 19th game all-time between Buffalo and Columbus; Buffalo has a 6-10-2 series record.
The Sabres are 2-4-1 on the road against the Blue Jackets all-time.

PYSYK IMPRESSES IN NHL RETURN; ZADOROV HAS "NO EXCUSES"

By Zac Hirschbeck - Digital Content Intern

Sabres In :90 (2/23/15) - 1:53 Mins
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Michal Neuvirth Interview (2/23/15) - 2:25 Mins
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Mark Pysyk Interview (2/23/15) - 2:49 Mins
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NIkita Zadorov Interview (2/23/15) - 2:12 Mins
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Ted Nolan Press Conference (2/23/15) - 8:58 Mins
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Blue Jackets return home from the road to face Sabres

The Blue Jackets overcame a three-goal deficit to gut out a point at Madison Square Garden, and there’s no rest for the weary as the Jackets return home to play their fifth game in eight days. The Buffalo Sabres will make their first visit to Nationwide Arena this season, the first meeting between these teams since the first game of the season.

The Sabres dropped that first meeting and have struggled since, with a record of 17-38-5 that places them 30th overall in the league and five points in back of 29th place Edmonton. The Sabres’ 110 goals are the fewest in the league, their 202 against are the second-most in the league, and their -92 goal differential is the worst in the league by a margin of 27 goals.

GM Tim Murray kicked off the wheeling and dealing earlier this month when he shipped Tyler Myers, Drew Stafford, multiple prospects and a first-round pick to Winnipeg for Evander Kane, Zach Bogosian, and a goaltending prospect. Kane will miss the remainder of the season after shoulder surgery but will be a huge addition to Buffalo next year when skating alongside whomever the Sabres take in the draft and perhaps top-prospect Sam Reinhart. Bogosian has already made an impact in the Sabres lineup, adding a physical edge for the back end.

Leading scorer Tyler Ennis has 15 goals and 33 points, while Matt Moulson is a three-time 30 goals scorer, though has only nine this year. Also with nine goals is power forward Chris Stewart, who has been rumored as a candidate to move at the deadline. All-Star forward Zemgus Girgensons and stud blue-liners Nikita Zadorov and Rasmus Ristolainen are bright spots on the roster, and big parts of the future in Buffalo.

Click to read more...

 

[26CornerBlitz]

 

[B U F F A L O]

Keep riding him, he's just likely to get injured

 

[Bps21*]

Are we going to get another goddamned third string goalie tonight? Maybe back to back on Thursday too.

It's a conspiracy.

 

[wunderpanda]

Go Sabres, 2-1 OT win!

 

[26CornerBlitz]

Go Sabres, 2-1 OT win!

Another BIG win?

 

[wunderpanda]

Another BIG win?

We're the last place team for the second year in a row, it can only get worse after the deadline. Every win is big when you only get 21 of them per season.

 

[26CornerBlitz]

We're the last place team for the second year in a row, it can only get worse after the deadline. Every win is big when you only get 21 of them per season.

Sure. Just like the wins at the end of the 2012-13 season were so BIG and team lost out on the chance for MacKinnon.

 

[Paxon]

We're the last place team for the second year in a row, it can only get worse after the deadline. Every win is big when you only get 21 of them per season.

Why would it get worse after the deadline? Because we'll lose Chris Stewart? I'd rather have Larsson playing in his spot if we're talking about good hockey. Other teams are going to lose more than we will.

 

[SabresBillsBuffalo]

You guys are really gonna rip up a guy for wanting his team to win a game?

 

[Zip15]

Why would it get worse after the deadline? Because we'll lose Chris Stewart? I'd rather have Larsson playing in his spot if we're talking about good hockey. Other teams are going to lose more than we will.

Larsson is already in the lineup. When Stewart and Mitchell get traded, they'll likely be replaced by some combo of Dalpe, D'Amigo, and Varone (possibly Grigs). I don't think anyone can argue that's an upgrade regardless of one's feelings about Stewart and Mitchell. They should be worse than they are now. We could be icing this as our forward corps:

Moulson-Girgensons-Ennis
Foligno-Flynn-Gionta
Deslauriers-Larsson-Hodgson
D'Amigo-Ellis-Dalpe

And that's if we're perfectly healthy. Egads.

 

[Husko]

WGR at their commercial break update said Forsberg is starting against us tonight? Any confirmation? Terrible if true

 

[McCauleyChirps]

WGR at their commercial break update said Forsberg is starting against us tonight? Any confirmation? Terrible if true

Only him and Bobrovsky were on the ice. I believe Bob is still injured.

 

[26CornerBlitz]

 

[26CornerBlitz]

WGR at their commercial break update said Forsberg is starting against us tonight? Any confirmation? Terrible if true

Curtis McElhinney was not on the ice for the morning skate, and Anton Forsberg was in the home net. It appears Forsberg will start tonight in search of his first NHL win.

Looks like it'll indeed be Forsberg in net.

 

[Woodhouse]

WGR at their commercial break update said Forsberg is starting against us tonight? Any confirmation? Terrible if true

Yep, Richards just confirmed Forsberg as the starter with McElhinney to back up.

As an aside, I feel like Forsberg's development path can be a somewhat comparable guide to Ullmark's with Buffalo. Ullmark outshined and ousted Forsberg in Modo's tandem in 2013-14, but a slow start and no defense has muddied his stats this season, leaving a very likely relegation battle after Modo play out their final five games. Meanwhile, Forsberg saw a few games with Springfield after last season and has performed respectably in the AHL this year, but NHL games have overwhelmed him up to this point. Ullmark should follow suit in the weeks ahead and be eligible for the final half-dozen or so games in Rochester.

 

[Husko]

Give me a break

 

[Paxon]

Larsson is already in the lineup. When Stewart and Mitchell get traded, they'll likely be replaced by some combo of Dalpe, D'Amigo, and Varone (possibly Grigs). I don't think anyone can argue that's an upgrade regardless of one's feelings about Stewart and Mitchell. They should be worse than they are now. We could be icing this as our forward corps:

Moulson-Girgensons-Ennis
Foligno-Flynn-Gionta
Deslauriers-Larsson-Hodgson
D'Amigo-Ellis-Dalpe

And that's if we're perfectly healthy. Egads.

Larsson is in the line-up but he's on the 4th line. Stewart's play is a negative for the team. Stewart leaving, giving more minutes to Larsson is a positive for the team. That line-up is simply not worse due to Stewart's absence. The 4th line would just barely play, problem solved. Mitchell is a loss since he's a solid player but he's in a role so totally over his head. If they called Grigorenko up and threw him on the 2nd line I have serious doubts that it'd be much of a downgrade. Is the team worse off? Sure, we should at least assume so, but my point's that other teams are going to be hit relatively harder than we will. Vermette is twice as good as anyone we might lose, not to mention they have other guys who might be in play like Yandle.

 

[Husko]

Larsson is in the line-up but he's on the 4th line. Stewart's play is a negative for the team. Stewart leaving, giving more minutes to Larsson is a positive for the team. That line-up is simply not worse due to Stewart's absence. The 4th line would just barely play, problem solved. Mitchell is a loss since he's a solid player but he's in a role so totally over his head. If they called Grigorenko up and threw him on the 2nd line I have serious doubts that it'd be much of a downgrade. Is the team worse off? Sure, we should at least assume so, but my point's that other teams are going to be hit relatively harder than we will. Vermette is twice as good as anyone we might lose, not to mention they have other guys who might be in play like Yandle.

I don't like Stewart at all. Do not want him back one bit. But this is crazy.

 

[Paxon]

I don't like Stewart at all. Do not want him back one bit. But this is crazy.

It would have been crazy a month ago. It's not crazy now. Hodgson's outplaying him. I'd take Larsson on the top line over him. I just don't see him being a loss outside of depth. His loss will lead to the 4th line being worse.

 

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[26CornerBlitz]

 

[Sabretooth]

Might as well go with 7 D when you're only using 3 forward lines anyways.

 

[26CornerBlitz]

GAME NOTES PDF

PRESS CLIPS PDF

 

[26CornerBlitz]

Yep, Richards just confirmed Forsberg as the starter with McElhinney to back up.

As an aside, I feel like Forsberg's development path can be a somewhat comparable guide to Ullmark's with Buffalo. Ullmark outshined and ousted Forsberg in Modo's tandem in 2013-14, but a slow start and no defense has muddied his stats this season, leaving a very likely relegation battle after Modo play out their final five games. Meanwhile, Forsberg saw a few games with Springfield after last season and has performed respectably in the AHL this year, but NHL games have overwhelmed him up to this point. Ullmark should follow suit in the weeks ahead and be eligible for the final half-dozen or so games in Rochester.

Would love to get a sneak peek at Ulmark with the Amerks.