Main storyline: The Sabres close out their four game homestand tonight as they host the Senators, looking to sweep the homestand. Buffalo have been finding the win column frequently over the last month, and will face Ottawa for the first time this season.
Season series: These two teams will meet on four separate occasions this season. Tonight’s contests was originally scheduled for February 20th, but the recent snowstorm in Buffalo forced the NHL to do some shuffling of the games. Although the Sabres have won nine of the past 12 against Ottawa, the Senators took three of four from Buffalo last season.
Where they stand: After a dismal start to the season, the Sabres have made their way up a few spots from last in the league to 27th. They’re still at the bottom of the Atlantic Division, but at the same time, they’re just six points out of a wild card spot. The Senators are right above the Sabres in the division with three more points and a game in hand, but they’ve gone just 3-6-1 in their last 10.
Recent performance: The Sabres have rattled off one-goal victories against Los Angeles, Calgary and Florida to start a perfect 3-for-3 on the homestand. Most recently, Nikita Zadorov scored to propel the Sabres to a 4-3 win over the Panthers on Saturday. The Senators are coming off a 3-2 victory in Boston against the Bruins on Saturday and have gone 2-3-1 in the month of December.
Buffalo quotes: “Now we’re starting to play with some structure and some discipline,” Nolan said. “Anybody can beat anybody on a given night and right now, we feel pretty good. The team feels good about themselves and they’re playing hard for one another.
Opponent quotes: “You know, you’re in the business of winning,” Cameron said. “It’s a case where you’re preaching a certain style of play and [until you] get that win, there’s probably always a bit of doubt or maybe a little bit of gray area whether it works or doesn’t work. So it was great to get the win for sure.”
Conclusion: The Sabres look to sweep their current four game homestand as they host the Senators for the first time this season. Tonight’s game is scheduled for 7 p.m. and can be seen on MSG.