Struggling Sabres Try to Snap Eight-Game Losing Streak in Washington
The Buffalo Sabres will take on the Washington Capitals in the first of a three-game road trip. The Sabres are 11-14-4, sitting seventh in the Atlantic Division, while the Capitals are first in the Metropolitan Division with a 20-6-2 record. With both teams on the opposite side of the standings, the Capitals are favored to win the game. According to FanDuel, the Capitals are favored -194 to win the game, and the spread is -1.5 in favor of Washington.
Comparing the Top-Six Forwards
The top-six forwards between Washington and Buffalo are like night and day. The Capitals’ top six, consisting of Aliaksei Protas, Dylan Strome, Tom Wilson, Connor McMichael, Pierre-Luc Dubois, and Taylor Raddysh, have a combined 54 goals and 142 points. Meanwhile, Buffalo’s top six, consisting of JJ Peterka, Tage Thompson, Alex Tuch, Zach Benson, Jiri Kulich, and Dylan Cozens, have a combined 45 goals and just 90 points. However, Sabres coach Lindy Ruff might change his forward group around again, as he’s had to do all season. He has moved Cozens and Ryan McLeod back and forth from center to winger all season, brought Jason Zucker on the first line, and now has to figure out when to dress Jack Quinn, who has been a healthy scratch for the last four games. It’s hard to blame Ruff for switching up the lineup so much since only about three forwards have been consistent for the whole season.
Sabres Have a Leadership Problem
What’s even more surprising than the Capitals’ record is the fact that the team has been so great without captain and exceptional goal-scorer Alex Ovechkin. Even with other leaders on long-term injured reserve like Nicklas Backstrom and T.J. Oshie, the team hasn’t faltered. Wilson, the team’s alternate captain, has stepped up in a big way, scoring five times to go along with his nine points in 10 games without “The Great Eight.” That kind of leading by example hasn’t been seen by the Sabres, who are going to play their fifth consecutive game without captain Rasmus Dahlin. Though Thompson and Zucker have played well, there’s clearly been a disconnect with most of the players and performing to the top of their game. Tuch, Cozens, Peterka, and Benson have combined for six points in Dahlin’s absence, which is unacceptable and shows how important their captain is to keep the team’s confidence up.
Looking Ahead: Sabres Continue on the Road and Ovechkin's Potential Return
The Sabres look to snap their eight-game losing streak, while the Capitals will try to pick up their eighth win in the past nine games. This trip to Capital One Arena will be the first game in their lengthy amount of road games in the next month. For the Sabres, 10 of their next 13 games will be on the road as the team will look to improve their 5-5-1 road record. By the time the Sabres play that 10th road game, Ovechkin should be back since he practiced on Saturday, his first practice since his injury on November 18th.
