Buffalo Sabres – Chicago Blackhawks Game Preview
12/27/24 – 7:00 pm EST at KeyBank Center, Buffalo, NY
Record
Buffalo – 12-19-4 | 28 points – 8th place in the Atlantic Division
Chicago – 13-14-7 | 33 points – 7th place in the Metropolitan Division
Special Teams
Buffalo
Power Play – 14.7% (29th)
Penalty Kill – 77.0% (24th)
Chicago
Power Play – 22.5% (10th)
Penalty Kill – 85.3% (4th)
Top Scorers
Buffalo
Tage Thompson: 30 GP, 17 G, 9 A, 26 PTS
JJ Peterka: 33 GP, 10 G, 15 A, 25 PTS
Alex Tuch: 35 GP, 9 G, 16 A, 25 PTS
Chicago
Connor Bedard: 35 GP, 9 G, 21 A, 30 PTS
Teuvo Teravainen: 35 GP, 7 G, 16 A, 23 PTS
Ryan Donato: 33 GP, 11 G, 9 A, 20 PTS
Starting Goalies
Buffalo – Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen (9-11-3, 3.03 GAA, .895 save %)
Chicago – Petr Mrazek (7-12-1, 2.94 GAA, .902 save %)
Line Combinations and Pairings
Buffalo
Forwards
Jason Zucker – Tage Thompson - Alex Tuch
JJ Peterka - Dylan Cozens - Jack Quinn
Zach Benson - Jiri Kulich - Peyton Krebs
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 (out-middle body)
Notes
The Sabres have earned three consecutive wins over the Blackhawks and they have earned at least one point in each of their last seven games against Chicago (6-0-1). Buffalo would match the longest winning streak against Chicago in franchise history with a win in tonight’s game. Buffalo has won each of its last three home games against Chicago and a win tonight would give the team a four-game home winning streak against Chicago for the first time since Dec. 31, 1986 to Jan. 12, 1989 (five games). The Sabres have allowed two or fewer goals in each of their last three meetings with the Blackhawks.
Tage Thompson leads all Sabres skaters in goals (17), points (26), even-strength goals (15), and points per game (0.87). His 17 goals are tied for 10th and his 15 even-strength goals rank fifth among all NHL skaters. Thompson’s 13 goals at 5-on-5 are tied for the most among all NHL skaters. Thompson has registered 10 points (6+4) in his last eight games against Chicago. Thompson has scored six goals in his last six games against the Blackhawks
JJ Peterka is riding a five-game point streak (2+5) and he would match the longest point streak of his career with a point in tonight’s game.
Jiri Kulich has tallied four points (2+2) in his last three games.
Owen Power has notched at least one point in four straight home games (2+4). In his last four games, Jack Quinn has recorded four points (3+1).
Dylan Cozens has registered four points (1+3) in his last four games.
Jason Zucker has posted one point in back-to-back games (1+1).
Bowen Byram is expected to play in his 200th NHL game tonight
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