Wow, what a fun past few days of Sabres hockey. Yes, I just used the words “fun” and “Sabres” in the same sentence and it feels good.
In case you forgot, the Buffalo Sabres are playing in an outdoor hockey game today! They will take on the Toronto Maple Leafs at 4 PM ET at Tim Hortons Field in Hamilton, ON for the 2022 Heritage Classic.
Lots of stuff to talk about in this issue of The Charge, so let’s get into it
By the Numbers 📊
Record: 19-32-8 (46 points) | Division: 7th | League: 29th
5v5 Expected Goals-For Percentage (xGF%): 44.6% (30th in the NHL)
5v5 Goals-For Percentage (GF%): 43.5% (28th in the NHL)
Quick Hits
Casey Fitzgerald remained out of practice on Saturday while Rasmus Asplund returned
Will Butcher, Zemgus Girgensons, and Colin Miller are not set to return for the Heritage Classic
Return fit for a King? More like a return fit for a Jack
I feel like it would be a complete disservice to not talk about the Sabres-Golden Knights game that took place this past Thursday.
First off, the crowd in that game was absolutely electric. There were only 12,437 fans in attendance but they made enough noise for 20,000+.
Jack Eichel received some cheers during his tribute video and there were a decent amount of Sabres fans repping his jersey. However, he was overwhelmingly booed whenever the puck touched his stick.
The best way to describe the game? Poetic.
The scoring opened with a goal by Peyton Krebs, one of the pieces the Sabres received in the Eichel trade.
Vegas tied it at 1 and Victor Olofsson, a player who saw a lot of minutes alongside Eichel in Buffalo, snipes one to give the Sabres a 2-1 lead late in the game.
The goal that sealed the deal could not have been anymore perfect, with Alex Tuch stealing the puck from Eichel, sprinting down the ice, and ripping the puck into the empty net. Poetry in motion:
It was pretty obvious from Jack Eichel’s post-game comments that he was not very happy with the game’s result and one has to think that he expected to walk out of Buffalo with an easy W. Well, he didn’t and I guess he decided to take his anger out on the fans:
Quite the change of tune from his comments the day before:
Craig Anderson gets 300th NHL win
Another cool thing that happened Thursday night was Craig Anderson securing his 300th NHL victory. He is only the 39th goalie in NHL history to accomplish that feat.
Congrats to him!
Prospects Update: Nadeau hat trick
Overall, it was a pretty good weekend for Sabres prospects. It’s definitely nice to be hearing that statement over and over again.
The star of the show was Olivier Nadeau who had an impressive 3 goal, 1 assist performance in Shawinigan’s 4-3 win over Victoriaville. He has recorded 10 points in his last 4 QMJHL games and has 66 points in 46 games on the season.
Nadeau possesses some great net-front ability and provides a bit of a different skill-set to the Sabres system. His finishing ability and passing ability are undeniable, allowing him to produce despite not having elite feet. Certainly a prospect that fans should keep an eye on.
Heritage Classic Preview: Toronto Maple Leafs @ Buffalo Sabres, 4 PM ET, 3/13/22
The Sabres are set to play in their 3rd outdoor game and hope to secure their 1st outdoor victory
Maple Leafs by the Numbers 📊
Record: 37-16-5 (79 points) | Division: 3rd | League: 5th
5v5 Expected Goals-For Percentage (xGF%): 55.6% (4th in the NHL)
5v5 Goals-For Percentage (GF%): 52.9% (12th in the NHL)
Craig Anderson looks to for his 3rd outdoor victory
While the Buffalo Sabres are on the hunt for their 1st outdoor victory, Craig Anderson is on the hunt for his 3rd. He was a member of the Ottawa Senators when they defeated the Vancouver Canucks in the 2014 Heritage Classic and the Montreal Canadiens in the 2017 NHL 100 Classic.
Anderson boasts an impressive 1.00 GAA and .966 SV% in his 2-game outdoor hockey career.
Mark Jankowski set to be a healthy scratch
The only change to the Sabres lineup is expected to be Mark Pysyk in for the injured Casey Fitzgerald. This means that Mark Jankowski, a Hamilton native, is set to be a healthy scratch for the Heritage Classic that takes place in his hometown:
Casey Mittelstadt’s 1st outdoor game since the World Juniors
Any Buffalo Sabres fan probably remembers Casey Mittelstadt’s 3-assist performance to carry USA past Canada in front of 45,000 at the Ralph:
All I can say is that I hope the Sabres can somehow find this version of Casey Mittelstadt today. Maybe the guy just loves playing hockey without a ceiling.
Weather to be an impact
It may be March 13th, but spring is far from here in Hamilton, Ontario. Expect the game time temperature to be around 30 °F with wind gusts up to 35 miles per hour.
As we all know, outdoor hockey games can be a little choppy due to the weather conditions, the 2022 Heritage Classic does not appear to be an exception. It will be interesting to see how each team alters their tactics, if at all.
Let the good vibes roll
I have to end this edition of The Charge by posting this picture of Jeff Skinner and Casey Mittelstadt: