Main storyline: The Buffalo Sabres (3-10-2) enter tonight’s matchup against the Penguins sitting in 30th position of the National Hockey League while the Pittsburgh Penguins are first in the Eastern Conference and third overall in the league.
Season series: This evening’s matchup is the second contest on the season between these two teams. The Penguins received a goal and two assists from Evgeni Malkin while Chris Kunitz added two goals and an assist en route to a 5-0 victory over the Buffalo Sabres.
Where they stand: The Sabres sit in the last place of the division conference and league with eight points. They trail Columbus by one point and Carolina by two points in the standings. The Penguins are atop of the Eastern Conference standings with 19 points, tied with Tampa Bay and Montreal.
Recent performance: Buffalo hasn’t found a true victory since their 2-1 win at San Jose back on October 25. Since then they have gone on to 1-2-3 record. The Penguins on the other hand have won six straight outscoring opponents 27-6.
Buffalo notes: The Sabres are coming off a loss last night to the Edmonton Oilers 3-2 after giving up two goals in the final 10 minutes of the third period. Buffalo was heavily outshot last night as Neuvirth made 49 saves on 52 shots while only scoring two goals on 31 shots. Drew Stafford (3g, 5a) and Tyler Ennis (4g, 3a) continue to lead the way for the Sabres offensively. Matt Moulson netted his first of the season last night in the loss to the Oilers
Opponent notes: Pittsburgh is good. Chris Kunitz (8g, 6a), Patric Hornqvist (7g, 8a) and Sidney Crosby (7g, 12a) pace the way for the Penguins offensively. After going to a shootout against the Jets, Crosby sealed the win in the shootout to secure a sixth straight victory on the campaign.
Conclusion: The Penguins have won four consecutive matchups against the Sabres, including winning 13-of-18 since the 2009-10 season. The Sabres look to get out of the cellar of the NHL but it will be a tough challenge as they face a team they’ve struggled against for the past multiple seasons.