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Will Santa Leave A Win For The Sabres Under The Tree?

michael augello
·2 min read

12/23/24 – 7:00 pm EST at UBS Arena, Elmont, NY

Record

Buffalo – 11-19-4 | 26 points – 8th place in the Atlantic Division

NY Islanders – 13-14-7 | 33 points – 7th place in the Metropolitan Division

Special Teams

Buffalo

Power Play – 14.1% (30th)

Penalty Kill – 76.8% (24th)

NY Islanders

Power Play – 12.1% (32nd)

Penalty Kill – 64.3% (32nd)

Top Scorers

Buffalo

Tage Thompson: 29 GP, 16 G, 9 A, 25 PTS

Alex Tuch: 34 GP, 9 G, 16 A, 25 PTS

JJ Peterka: 32 GP, 10 G, 14 A, 24 PTS

NY Islanders

Anders Lee: 34 GP, 13 G, 14 A, 27 PTS

Bo Horvat: 33 GP, 9 G, 16 A, 25 PTS

Kyle Palmieri: 34 GP, 11 G, 13 A, 24 PTS

Starting Goalies

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

NY Islanders – Ilya Sorokin (10-10-4, 2.82 GAA, .903 save %)

Line Combinations and Pairings

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

Jacob Bryson - Connor Clifton

Ex., Henri Jokiharju, Dennis Gilbert

Goaltenders

Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen

James Reimer

Injuries

Jordan Greenway (IR - middle body)

Notes

In his last six games, JJ Peterka has recorded seven points (2+5), including at least one in each of his last four games. A point in tonight’s game would give Peterka the third point streak of five or more games in his career, and his second of the season. Peterka recorded a six-game point streak from Nov. 5 to 16 (3+5), the longest point streak of his career.

Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen possesses a save percentage of .942 (81 saves on 86 shots) and a goals-against average of 1.69 in three career games against the Islanders. In his last start against New York on March 14, 2024, Luukkonen registered a 21-save shutout.

Owen Power has notched three points (1+2) in his last three games. Power has also recorded three points (1+2) in his last three games against New York.

Dylan Cozens has scored three goals in his last four games against the Islanders.

Zach Benson is expected to play in the 100th game of his NHL career tonight.

Related: Insider Report May Signal Possible Sabres Trade After Freeze

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