The Blue Jackets and Sabres face each other for the second of three meetings this season.
Are you ready for the new look Blue Jackets? The Columbus Blue Jackets will be without their leading goal scorer, Kirill Marchenko indefinitely due to having surgery for a broken jaw.
The Blue Jackets visit Buffalo tonight at the KeyBank Center for the second of three games between the two teams.
The Sabres come into the game on a hot streak. Although they've only gone 5-5 in the last 10, they've won their last three games, and against some good teams too. They've beat the New Jersey Devils, Nashville Predators, and the Boston Bruins. In those three wins, they're averaging five goals a game.
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen has started and won the last three games for Buffalo, and is playing well, only giving up 2.66 goals per game. James Reimer hasn't played a game since late January, and the Sabres don't play again until Saturday, so we could see Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen start again tonight.
Don't let their record fool you, the Sabres are playing well and have lots of talent on the team. The Jackets are officially shorthanded, so guys who don't normally score, are going to have to step up and put some pucks in nets.
Series History vs. The Sabres
- Columbus is 14-7-3 on the road and 26-15-4 in 45 all-time games against the Sabres.
- The Blue Jackets are 14-6-3 in the last 23 games vs. Buffalo.
- The Jackets are 5-0-3 in the last 8 games at KeyBank Center.
Who To Watch For The Sabres
- Tage Thompson leads the Sabres with 26 goals and 48 points.
- Rasmus Dahlin leads the team with 33 assists. He also has 15 points in 14 career games against the CBJ.
- Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen is 18-15 with a .897 SV%. He's started and won the last three games for Buffalo.
- James Reimer is 1-4 with a .905 SV%. Reimer hasn't played since Jan. 25.
CBJ Player Notes vs. The Sabres
- Zach Werenski has 14 points in 18 games against Buffalo.
- James van Riemsdyk has 30 points in 54 games.
- Ivan Provorov has 18 points in 29 career games vs. the Sabres.
Injuries
- Boone Jenner (shoulder) is on Injured Reserve on Oct. 7; (53 Games)
- Erik Gudbranson (upper body) is on Injured Reserve on Oct. 16; (50 Games)
- Yegor Chinakhov (upper body) is on Injured Reserve (32 Games)
- Sean Monahan (upper body); is on Injured Reserve retroactive to Jan. 7 (12 Games)
- Kirill Marchenko (jaw); is on Injured Reserve on Feb. 3
- Dante Fabbro (upper body) unknown return date
TOTAL MAN GAMES LOST: 222
How to Watch & Listen: Tonight's game will be on FanDuel Sports Network. Steve Mears will be on the play-by-play. The radio broadcast will be on 97.1 The Fan with Bob McElligott behind the mic doing the play-by-play.
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