Game 17 Preview: Penguins Host Sabres

Matt Bodenschatz | Pittsburgh Penguins

Nov 14, 04:12 PM | Hype this story!

Buffalo Sabres
Series – 0 GP
W L OTL Pts.
0 0 0 0
 
Pittsburgh Penguins
Series – 0 GP
Pts. W L OTL
0 0 0 0

7:30 at Mellon Arena
TV: FSN Pittsburgh
Radio: WXDX Radio, FM 105.9
Probable Goalies: Sabourin (Pit), Miller (Buf)


 
Inside The Game

Time is not on my side this weekend, as I’ll be heading to Pittsburgh for a full day of errands prior heading over to Mellon Arena for the game against the Sabres.  As a result, the game preview is going out a bit early, so please take into consideration that Buffalo’s stats likely will change after their game tonight.

And now on to the preview…


The Pittsburgh Penguins will sport their baby blue uniforms for the first time this season, and just the second time since they were used as the team’s primary uniforms in the 1970s.

Saturday’s matchup features the NHLs fifth ranked team (Penguins) and the sixth ranked team (Buffalo Sabres) and looks to be just another in a line of exciting games involving the flightless birds.

After overcoming a three-goal deficit to defeat the Detroit Red Wings Tuesday, the Penguins blew a three-goal lead to the Philadelphia Flyers last night, but, in true Pittsburgh fashion, they rebounded for the win in a shootout.

Buffalo boasts one of the NHL in Ryan Miller, who just seems to be unbeatable, while Pittsburgh likely will give starter Marc-Andre Fleury a breather after two shaky performances, allowing backup Dany Sabourin to build upon a win Saturday and a solid showing in last night’s shootout.

Look for yet another exciting game, and if things go right, the sixth consecutive win for the red-hot Penguins.

 
Standings
  GP W L OTL Pts Division Conference League
Penguins 16 10 4 2 22 2, Atlantic 4, Eastern 5, NHL
Sabres 15 9 3 3 21 2, Northeast 5, Eastern 6, NHL
                 
Team Statistics
  GF GA PP% PK% Home Away L 10 Streak
Penguins 53 46 19.1 84.8 5-2-1 5-2-1 7-2-1 5 wins
Sabres 47 36 20.8 88.9 5-2-1 4-1-2 5-3-2 1 win
                 
Team Leaders
  Stat Penguins   Stat Sabres
Goals 8 Satan Goals 12 Vanek
Assists 20 Malkin Assists 8 Sekera, Spacek
Points 26 Malkin Points 15 Vanek
+/- +5 Sydor +/- +7 Lydman
PIMs 46 Godard PIMs 43 Peters
Wins 7 Fleury Wins 8 Miller
GAA 1.68 Sabourin GAA 2.12 Miller
Sv% .942 Sabourin Sv% .928 Miller
 
Injuries
Penguins Injury Status
Gonchar, IR
Whitney, IR
Shoulder Surgery
Foot Surgery
Out until late March
Out until December
Sabres Injury Status
Connolly Chest Questionable
 
Note: Info up-to-date as of 3:10 pm, Friday, November 14, 2008.

Comments

  1. Jon

    Nov 14, 04:49 PM

    Looks like Fleury will get the start… from penguins official site:

    > Therrien will start Fleury on Saturday night against the Buffalo Sabres at Mellon Arena. Fleury will finally have a chance to show off his special “Winter Classic” goalie mask.

    The mask features the old skating Penguin logo on one side and his No. 29 on the other with a blend of gold and blue colors. Fleury wore the mask at practice on Friday for the first time.

  2. KG

    Nov 14, 04:59 PM

    This should be a good game. Two teams that like to play offense, fast paced, more of an open style of play…Looking forward to it…

  3. Jonathan Farzalo

    Nov 14, 09:14 PM

    While I will say a few of the goals over the past few games could have stopped, a lot of them, the majority by far, were just great shots, or the goalie being hung out to dry. The Flyers scored 4 on him last night, and if memory serves…

    2 shorties (sorry, 1 on 0 and 1-2 are leaving your goalie out to dry)

    1 redirect (never a goalies fault in my opinion)

    1 oddball rarity….it was tipped, deflected, and went up OVER his head while he was screened in front.

    The Detroit game, while he gave up 1 soft goal, that was a goal fest, for both teams….neither Pitt nor the Red Wings are prone to giving up 6 or 7 goals, it was just THAT type of game….

    No reason NOT to start him against Buffalo….

  4. DaBich

    Nov 16, 09:37 AM

    MAF looked GREAT against the Sabres.
    All it took was for our guys to start shooting and scoring.

Commenting is closed for this article.