GAME DAY | Canadiens – Sabres: Preview, Lines, Goalies, TV, Fantasy
Jordan Lambe
Pre-game Notes and Quotes
Michel Therrien: “We can’t look too [far] ahead, we’re focusing on one game at a time. We still understand where we’re at, still understand that there’s going to be a lot of hockey to be played and we need some wins, we need to pick up some points.”
Brendan Gallagher: “Pucks are going in for us right now, but I think it’s important to understand why it’s happening, I think when we’re having success we’re playing down low in their end, making their [defense] work, and I think it wears on teams over time.”
Former Canadien, Josh Gorges, on the Sabres’ most recent loss to the Panthers: “No, we didn’t [help Lehner], and we didn’t help [Johnson], either, when he came in, I think in that situation when they made the goalie change, it has to wake us up as a team. It had nothing to do with our goaltending. We didn’t play good enough.”
The Canadiens are currently riding a three game winning streak. The last time this franchise was able to post at least two wins in a row was back on November 27, 2015; when they capped off a 4 game winning streak against the Devils.
While the Canadiens have a 22-13-3 record versus teams in the Eastern Conference this season, the Sabres have a 13-19-3 record against teams from the East.
So far this season, the Canadiens have a 12-5-1 record versus teams in the Atlantic division, while the Sabres have a 7-11-3 record versus teams coming from the Atlantic.
The Canadiens have risen in their placing for the goals against category, they are currently in 18th in the league in goals against, with 146 in 55 games. The Sabres have allowed 155 goals in 55 games and find themselves in 26th in the league.
The Canadiens have maintained their place in the standings in the goals for category as they are currently in 10th place in the NHL, with 151 over their first 55 games. The Sabres are 27th in this category with 126 goals scored in 55 games.
Matchup
First Niagara Center, Buffalo, NY. | February 12, 7:00 PM ET | TV: RDS, SNE, BELL TV
2015-16 statistics
SABRES
CANADIENS
48 (15th)
Points (Eastern Con. rank)
58 (10th)
21-28-6
Record
27-24-4
9-16-3
Home
15-11-2
12-12-3
Road
12-13-2
3-5-2
Last 10
4-6-0
2.29
G/G
2.75
2.82
GA/G
2.65
21.1
PP%
17.8
81.2
PK%
83.9
47.1
CF%*
52.8
48.7
CF60*
56.0
54.7
CA60*
50.0
*Advanced statistics: Score adjusted, even strength. CF%: Corsi for percentage of total CF60: Corsi For/60 minutes CA60: Corsi Against/60 minutes (via War on Ice)
Projected forward lines, defense pairings and goaltenders
