Will The Sabres Losing Skid Stop At 12?

12/21/24 – 7:00 pm EST at TD Garden, Boston, Mass

Record

Buffalo – 11-18-4 | 26 points – 8th place in the Atlantic Division

Boston – 17-13-4 | 38 points – 4^th place in the Atlantic Division

Special Teams

Buffalo

Power Play – 13.5% (30th)

Penalty Kill – 77.1% (23rd)

Boston

Power Play – 12.7% (31st)

Penalty Kill – 77.9% (21st)

Top Scorers

Buffalo

Tage Thompson: 28 GP, 16 G, 9 A, 25 PTS

Alex Tuch: 33 GP, 9 G, 16 A, 25 PTS

JJ Peterka: 31 GP, 9 G, 14 A, 23 PTS

Boston

David Pastrnak: 34 GP, 12 G, 21 A, 33 PTS

Brad Marchand: 34 GP, 13 G, 13 A, 26 PTS

Elias Lindholm: 34 GP, 5 G, 12 A, 17 PTS

Starting Goalies

Buffalo – Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen (8-11-3, 3.12 GAA, .892 save %)

Boston – Jeremy Swayman (11-10-3, 3.13 GAA, .887 save %)

Line Combinations and Pairings (projected)

Buffalo

Forwards

Jason Zucker – Tage Thompson - Alex Tuch

JJ Peterka - Dylan Cozens - Jack Quinn

Peyton Krebs - Jiri Kulich - Zach Benson

Beck Malenstyn - Ryan McLeod - Sam Lafferty

Ex. Nicolas Aube-Kubel

Defense

Rasmus Dahlin - Bowen Byram

Mattias Samuelsson - Owen Power

Dennis Gilbert - Connor Clifton

Ex. Jacob Bryson, Henri Jokiharju

Goaltenders

Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen

James Reimer

Injuries

Jordan Greenway (out-middle body)

Notes

Buffalo’s 128 victories over Boston all-time are the second-most against any single team in franchise history. The Sabres have only defeated the Montreal Canadiens (136) more times than they have beaten the Bruins. The Sabres have defeated the Bruins in two of their last three road contests in Boston.

Owen Power has notched at least one point in back-to-back games (1+2). Power would record his fourth-point streak of three or more games this season with a point in tonight’s game.

In his last five games, JJ Peterka has recorded six points (1+5), including at least one in each of his last three games. A point in tonight’s game would give Peterka the seventh point streak of four or more games in his career. Peterka has recorded one point in back-to-back road contests in Boston (1+1).

Dylan Cozens has recorded one point in back-to-back games (1+1).

Alex Tuch has registered six points (3+3) in his last three road games against the Bruins.

In his last three road games against the Bruins, Dylan Cozens has posted three points (1+2).

In 27 career games against Boston, James Reimer has registered a .925 save percentage and a 2.59 goals-against average. Reimer possesses a save percentage of .918 and a goals-against average of 2.89 in 14 road appearances against the Bruins.

Bowen Byram is expected to play against Boston for the first time in his career tonight. Boston is the only active team that Byram has not yet faced in his career.

Related: Sabres Are In An Endless Cycle Of Dysfunction

Follow Michael on X, Instagram, and Bluesky @MikeInBuffalo