The Pittsburgh Penguins are set to face off against the Buffalo Sabres tonight at 7:00 p.m. Eastern Time at PPG Paints Arena. This matchup sees the Penguins (28-15-12, 68 points) in second place in the Metropolitan Division taking on the Sabres (32-18-6, 70 points), who are currently third in the Atlantic Division.
Tonight’s game is significant as it comes just before the NHL’s three-week Olympic break. Players on the Penguins will have an opportunity to enjoy time off with their families in warm locations following this matchup, with their next game not scheduled until February 26 against New Jersey.
Buffalo has shown some signs of tapering off recently, splitting wins and losses over their last four games, including a victory against LA and losses to Montreal and Tampa, while managing a decent record of 6-2-2 in their last ten. This contrasts with the Sabres’ performance prior to this stretch, where they were 8-2-0 and 8-3-0 in their earlier periods. Despite this, since Thanksgiving, Buffalo boasts an impressive 23-8-2 record, the best in the NHL.
In their earlier encounter on November 26, the Penguins defeated the Sabres 4-2, marking a low point for Buffalo at that time, which dropped them to 29th place in the league. After tonight, the teams will meet again on March 5 to complete their season series.
A key player for the Sabres has been goaltender Alex Lyon, who has amassed a 11-1-0 record, with a 2.08 goals-against average (GAA) and a .930 save percentage since December 7, contributing significantly to Buffalo’s improved performance. Alongside him, forwards Tage Thompson and Alex Tuch have been pivotal, each delivering strong offensive output.
On the Penguins’ side, the offensive prowess has been showcased as both teams have been among the highest-scoring offenses since Christmas, averaging 4.05 goals per game. However, Pittsburgh will need to bolster their defense against a persistent Sabres offense, especially given the tendency of Buffalo to perform strongly in the later stages of games.
In a matchup that promises to be competitive, both teams are keenly aware that early lead establishment could set the tone for the rest of the game, particularly as the Penguins have excelled in first-period scoring. As the teams head into this key game, fans will be looking for fireworks on the ice before the much-anticipated break.