Buffalo looking to keep pace in the Eastern Conference playoff race
3/21/24 – 9:00 pm EST at Rogers Place in Edmonton, Alberta
Record
Buffalo – 33-32-5 | 71 points – 6th place in Atlantic Division
Edmonton – 41-21-4 | 86 points – 2nd place in Pacific Division
Special Teams
Buffalo
Power Play – 16.6% (27th)
Penalty Kill – 79.2% (17th)
Edmonton
Power Play – 26.4% (4th)
Penalty Kill – 80.2% (T-13th)
Top Scorers
Buffalo
Rasmus Dahlin: 69 GP, 17 G, 35 A, 52 PTS
Alex Tuch: 63 GP, 19 G, 27 A, 46 PTS
Jeff Skinner: 62 GP, 24 G, 21 A, 45 PTS
Edmonton
Connor McDavid: 64 GP, 26 G, 82 A, 108 PTS
Leon Draisaitl: 66 GP, 34 G, 53 A, 87 PTS
Zach Hyman: 65 GP, 46 G, 19 A, 65 PTS
Starting Goalies
Buffalo – Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen (23-17-3, 2.39 GAA, .915 save %)
Edmonton – Stuart Skinner (30-13-4, 2.57 GAA, .908 save %)
Line Combinations and Pairings
Buffalo
Forwards
Zemgus Girgensons-Tage Thompson-Alex Tuch
Zach Benson-Dylan Cozens-Jordan Greenway
Jeff Skinner-Peyton Krebs-JJ Peterka
Eric Robinson-Tyson Jost-Victor Olofsson
Ex. Lukas Rousek
Defense
Bowen Byram-Rasmus Dahlin
Owen Power-Henri Jokiharju
Jacob Bryson-Connor Clifton
Ex. Kale Clague
Goaltenders
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen
Devon Levi
Eric Comrie
Injuries
Jack Quinn (IR – lower body)
Notes
Buffalo has earned a win in five of its last seven games against Edmonton (5-2-0), including a 4-2 win the last time the Sabres played in Edmonton on Oct. 18, 2022. In Buffalo’s last 28 games, Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen has made 24 starts and has recorded 604 saves on 650 shots (.929) in that span. Luukkonen has allowed three or fewer goals in 26 of his last 27 games. Luukkonen is 17-9-1 in his last 27 games dating back to Dec. 30 and he has registered a save percentage of .930 and a goals-against average of 1.92 in that span.
Tage Thompson has recorded seven points (3+4) in his last six games. A point in tonight’s game would give Thompson a four-game point streak, which would match his longest point streak of the season.
Jeff Skinner has registered five points (4+1) in his last five games.
In his last five games, Alex Tuch has tallied six points (2+4) and he is riding a three-game point streak (1+4). If Tuch registers multiple points in tonight’s game, he will match the longest streak of consecutive games with two or more points in his career (three games).
Owen Power has notched four points (1+3) in his last four games and he has recorded one point in back-to-back games. A point in tonight’s game would give Power his second point streak of three or more games this season (Oct. 24 to Nov. 1, 1+3, four games), and the sixth such streak of his career.
Rasmus Dahlin has posted five points (2+3) in his last five games, including a two-goal performance on March 19 at Vancouver.
If he dresses, tonight’s game will mark Connor Clifton’s 300th career game.
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