Game 71 Preview: Sabres at Penguins
Jesse Marshall | Pittsburgh Penguins
Mar 12, 10:30 AM | Hype this story!
Due to limited access this morning, the game day notes will be old school, so to speak. They will return to the traditional form for Sunday’s game against the Flyers.
The Pittsburgh Penguins (39-24-7) vs. The Buffalo Sabres (32-27-11)
Inside The Game
Two injury-laden teams face off tonight in Pittsburgh. Buffalo’s defence has been ravaged by injury and the Pittsburgh Penguins have found themselves in the same boat for what seems like the entire year.
Buffalo will be without the services of defenders Dimitri Kalinin and Jaroslav Spacek, both are expected to miss significant time. Things have become so bad on the Buffalo blueline that Lindy Ruff has considered using forward Jason Pominville in a defensive role throughout the contest. That said, Buffalo did receive a bit of good news when they were informed that Henrik Tallinder would return from injury tonight to face the Penguins.
On the flip side of the coin, Petr Sykora and Max Talbot are expected to be on the shelf tonight. Sykora is listed as having a back injury and Max Talbot is having ankle injuries related to the high-ankle sprain he suffered months ago. The news on Talbot is a bit unnerving as it shows how stingy this injury really is. Connor James and Ryan Stone were both recalled yesterday from Wilkes-Barre to fill the gaps. The Penguins have persevered all season in the face of injury.
Ty Conklin will start opposite Ryan Miller tonight for Pittsburgh. Conklin as absolutely owned the Sabres in 3 games this season, sporting a 0.64 Goals Against Average and a .980 Save Percentage. Conklin turned aside an onslaught of 17 first period Sabres shots in the last meeting en route to securing another victory against Buffalo.
Standings
Penguins: 2nd, Atlantic Division; 7th, Eastern Conference; 4th NHL — (85 pts)
Sabres: 4th Northeast Division; 9th, Eastern Conference; 19th, NHL — (75 pts)
Statistics
Power play: Penguins 20.4%; Sabres 18.4%
Penalty kill: Penguins 80.3%; Sabres 84.1%
Goals for: Penguins 206; Sabres 211
Goals against: Penguins 192; Sabres 204
Injuries
Penguins: Sykora, DTD; Hossa, DTD; Talbot, DTD; Beech, IR; Hall, IR; Roberts, IR; Eaton, IR
Sabres: Kalinin, DTD; Spacek, DTD; Bernier, DTD; Numminen, IR
Comments
Heath Condiotte
Mar 12, 10:34 AM
According to the Post-Gazette, Crosby will be sitting out tonight as well due to pain in his ankle. :(
DaBich
Mar 12, 11:16 AM
Heath, that’s horrible news! :(
Let’s not forget, Buffalo will be playing desperate hockey to secure a playoff berth. We’d better be prepared to play 60 FULL minutes.
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