Make it a streak: Lightning at Sabres preview

Game Sixty-Two: Tampa Bay Lightning (39-18-4) at Buffalo Sabres (38-19-6)

Time: 6:00 PM EST

Location: KeyBank Center, Beef on weck vs. Cuban Sandwich

TV/Stream/Radio: The Spot, MSG-B, ESPN+, 102.5 FM, Lightning App

Odds: Lightning -115

Know the Opponents: Die by the Blade

Since coming out of the extended break, the Tampa Bay Lightning are 2-0 against the Toronto Maple Leafs. Unfortunately, they are 0-4 against everyone else. They look to snap the struggles in a key game against the Buffalo Sabres tonight as their four-game road trip comes to an end.

The Lightning are also looking for a little bit of revenge as the red-hot Sabres, winners of six straight, were one of those four losses for the Bolts. And it wasn’t a close loss.

Both teams have made a few changes since the last meeting with Buffalo as an active buyer at the deadline and the Lightning shuffling around their lines. Sam Carrick made his Sabres debut in their 3-2 win over Nashville Saturday night, but Buffalo is still waiting for their big addition, Logan Stanley, to make his debut due to work visa issues.

For the Lightning, things were shuffled around a bit against Toronto, and Coach Cooper may keep those changes. He broke up his shutdown line with Zemgus Girgensons joining Brandon Hagel and Anthony Cirelli. Oliver Bjorkstrand dropped down to play with Yanni Gourde and Pontus Holmberg.

The new Cirelli line had a decent possession game with the Lightning garnering a 10-3 edge in shot attempts and a 68.90% xGF advantage when they were on the ice. Sometimes, a few shifts with new linemates can shake things up for a team stuck in a rut.

Two tired teams (thanks Daylight Savings) will go at it with first place on the line. It doesn’t get any better than that.

Potential Lines

Tampa Bay Lightning

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Buffalo Sabres

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