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Buffalo Sabres vs Columbus Blue Jackets prediction

Buffalo Sabres4–4–2 · HomeColumbus Blue Jackets3–5–0 · Away

Lines

Lines from the last game · may change

Buffalo Sabres

Last game: Oct 21

Forwards

  1. 1st line9 min together
    6LWBensonZach86COstlundNoah22RWQuinnJack
  2. 2nd line9 min together
    20LWKulichJiří72CThompsonTage91RWDoanJosh
  3. 3rd line5 min together
    17LWZuckerJason9CNorrisJosh94RWHeleniusKonsta
  4. 4th line5 min together
    29LWMalenstynBeck71CMcLeodRyan19RWKrebsPeyton

Defence

  1. 1st pair15 min together
    26DDahlinRasmus23DSamuelssonMattias
  2. 2nd pair12 min together
    25DPowerOwen8DZellwegerOlen
  3. 3rd pair4 min together
    73DMetsaZach46DCrevierLouis

Goalies

Columbus Blue Jackets

Last game: Oct 20

Forwards

  1. 1st line8 min together
    89LWKniesMatthew19CFantilliAdam91RWJohnsonKent
  2. 2nd line9 min together
    4LWSillingerCole3CCoyleCharlie24RWOlivierMathieu
  3. 3rd line7 min together
    10LWVoronkovDmitri23CMonahanSean43RWNichushkinValeri
  4. 4th line8 min together
    94LWLombergRyan93CBelluzLuca Del Bel83RWGarlandConor

Defence

  1. 1st pair3 min together
    8DWerenskiZach5DMateychukDenton
  2. 2nd pair6 min together
    78DSeversonDamon2DChristiansenJake
  3. 3rd pair5 min together
    44DGudbransonErik36DAndraeEmil

Goalies

How we read the lines: from the NHL’s shift charts, the three forwards and the two defencemen who shared the most 5-on-5 ice time, ranked by time on ice. Coaches shuffle lines often, so treat them as a guide until puck drop.

Matthew Knies: Jenn G from Seattle, WA, CC BY-SA 2.0; Adam Fantilli: Jenn G., CC BY-SA 2.5; Kent Johnson: Jenn G from Seattle, WA, CC BY-SA 2.0; Cole Sillinger: Jenn G from Seattle, WA, CC BY-SA 2.0; Charlie Coyle: Resolute, CC BY-SA 3.0; Mathieu Olivier: Sandro Halank, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0; Dmitri Voronkov: Jenn G from Seattle, WA, CC BY-SA 2.0; Sean Monahan: Resolute, CC BY-SA 3.0; Valeri Nichushkin: Lisa Gansky from New York, NY, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0; Ryan Lomberg: TheAHL, CC BY 2.0; Conor Garland: Sandro Halank , Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0; Zach Werenski: Erik Drost, CC BY 2.0; Damon Severson: Lisa Gansky from New York, NY, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0; Jake Christiansen: Erik Drost, CC BY 2.0; Erik Gudbranson: Pens Through My Lens, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Goalie duel

Projected

Projected from recent starts · confirmed at puck drop

Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen BUF

.864 save percentage

3.53 GAA · 3–3–2 · 7 starts

Cam Talbot COL

.867 save percentage

3.40 GAA · 1–2–0 · 3 starts

Back-up expected: second night of a back-to-back

Teams do not name their goalie before the game. We expect the No. 1 unless his team played the night before, when the back-up usually starts; last season that call was right about two times in three. Our win chances do not depend on it.

Photo credits: Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen: CloutsnChara Sports Cards, CC BY 3.0; Cam Talbot: Lisa Gansky from New York, NY, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Team leaders

Buffalo SabresThis seasonColumbus Blue Jackets

Season totals in this competition from the scoresheets so far (8 games per team); current squads only.

Photo credits: Charlie Coyle: Resolute, CC BY-SA 3.0; Kent Johnson: Jenn G from Seattle, WA, CC BY-SA 2.0; Mathieu Olivier: Sandro Halank, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Recent form

Buffalo Sabres

L1–3OTL3–4W5–4OTL3–4W5–3

Columbus Blue Jackets

L2–6L1–2W1–0L3–7L3–5

W win · OTL loss in overtime or a shootout · L loss in regulation

Head to head

  • Columbus Blue Jackets 6–3 Buffalo Sabres
  • Buffalo Sabres 5–1 Columbus Blue Jackets

Also scheduled

Other games that day