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Calgary Flames vs Buffalo Sabres, 7 PM MT, Scotiabank Saddledome, Calgary AB
TV: SNW - Radio: Sportsnet 960
Calgary Flames 13-12-4 (30 pts) - Buffalo Sabres 13-10-5 (31 pts)
The Flames return from their four day “vacation” to a face a team they defeated a mere eight days ago in the Buffalo Sabres. The Flames are coming back from an extended break and boy did this team need one. Between the six game losing streak, their top stars struggling and the whole Bill Peters mess, this team needed a day or two to take everything in. The good news out of all this is that the Flames looked like they were starting to put things together. Calgary had won two straight, both under new head coach Geoff Ward and were looking like a team that was playing with confidence. This is rare territory for Calgary this season as they look to string together their first three game winning streak of the 2019-20 campaign if they can take down the Sabres at the Saddledome tonight.
Buffalo has won two out of three since falling 3-2 to the Flames in OT back on November 27th. This little run they are on is a welcome sight for the team and it’s fans because things were not going so well prior to these last three games. In their previous 13 games the Sabres went 2-8-3, which ruined their 9-1-2 start.
Not lost in any of this is the amazing season Jack Eichel is having. The young star leads the Sabres in goals and points and is 7th in the NHL in both goals and points and 8th in assists. Add in his 104 shots, good for 9th overall, and it’s another successful season already for the 23 year old Chelmsford MA native.
Starting Goalies (E=Expected,C=Confirmed)
Flames: Rittich (E)- 12-7-4, 2.68 GAA, .915 Save%
Sabres: Ullmark (E)- 7-5-2, 2.86 GAA, .917 Save%
Team Leaders
Flames: Goals: Lindholm (14) Points: Tkachuk (24) PIM: Lucic (34) Save%: Rittich (.915)
Sabres: Goals: Eichel (17) Points: Eichel (38) PIM: Ristolainen (26) Save%: Ullmark (.917)
What’s Happening With The Opposition?
Buffalo Sabres Coverage: Die By The Blade
The Devils fired their head coach after a blowout loss to the Sabres. @SchlagsWrites looks back at the last time a team fired their coach after playing the Sabres. https://t.co/IgoqlatlFf
— Die By The Blade (@diebytheblade) December 4, 2019
Last Time Out
Calgary Flames 3 - Ottawa Senators 1
Buffalo Sabres 7 - NJ Devils 1
Players To Watch
Calgary Flames
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Elias Lindholm (C): 4 goals in last 4 games
Buffalo Sabres
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Jack Eichel (C): 9 points in last 5 games