Maybe the Sabres should forget about what happened during the first three months of the season and try and start fresh. The Sabres look to kick off the new year as they host the Edmonton Oilers.
This is the only meeting of the season between these teams, and they only played each other once last year. Buffalo won the lone matchup by a 4-2 score as Mike Weber notched a pair of goals.
Fans at the First Niagara Center won’t get to see rookie sensation Ryan-Nugent Hopkins as he was injured in Monday’s 4-3 victory over Chicago.
Still, the Oilers have plenty of young talent to look at. Jordan Eberle leads his team in points with 39 (16 G, 23 A) and has eight points in his last seven games.
The Oilers are fresh off a win in which they earned last night, while the Sabres haven’t played since New Year’s Eve.
“Somehow, the hockey gods gave that one a little extra push and it went in,” Ruff said of Alfredsson’s goal. “The battle was there, and the drive was there. We just gotta keep trying to grind it out.”
Ryan Miller is 5-0 against Edmonton with a 1.40 goals against and a .953 save percentage throughout his career.
The Sabres are just 2-6-2 in their past 10 games, and are becoming desperate for points. The Oilers come in on a season-long seven game road trip.
Tonight’s faceoff is scheduled for 7 p.m.