Los Angeles Kings v Buffalo Sabres (Staples Center)
Time: 7.30 PM
TV: Fox Sports West
Kings projected lineup:
King – Kopitar – Brown
Pearson – Carter – Toffoli
Andreoff – Stoll – Williams
Clifford – Richards – Nolan
Doughty – Muzzin
Regehr – Martinez
McNabb – Greene
Quick
Injured: Gaborik (??), Lewis (“upper-middle body”); Suspended: Voynov
Sabres projected lineup:
Moulson – Ennis – Gionta
Foligno – Girgensons – Stewart
Mitchell – Hodgson – Stafford
Deslauriers – McCormick
Foligno – Girgensons – Stewart
Mitchell – Hodgson – Stafford
Deslauriers – McCormick
Gorges – Myers
Weber – Meszaros
Benoit – Ristolainen
Weber – Meszaros
Benoit – Ristolainen
Zadorov
Enroth
Injured: Kaleta (face, apparently??); Larsson (concussion); Hackett (knee)
Enemy reading: Die By the Blade
Game notes:
- The Sabres are rolling into Staples tonight with Jordan Nolan’s dad, seven defencemen (including former Kings prospect Nic Deslauriers), and eleven forwards (not including rookie Sam Reinhart). Deslauriers, you will recall, was sent to Buffalo as part of the Brayden McNabb trade, while Reinhart has used up six games of his nine-game NHL tryout. Reports say that the plan is to keep Reinhart up until injured fourth-liner Patrick Kaleta is in game shape again.
- The Sabres have somehow won a game, but they remain cringe-inducingly terrible in their march towards Connor McDavid.
- Although the personnel available hasn’t changed, Coach Sutter has adjusted the forward lines since the Kings’ last game, many moons ago. Notably, the King to Kopitar experiment is back on, and we all feel bad for Justin Williams. I thought Richards wasn’t terrible during his stint on the top line, but apparently that is where Darryl Sutter and I disagree.
- Jake Muzzin returns conveniently tonight from injury. I suppose playing the Sabres could be considered easing somebody back into full-time duty.
- Prediction: a hockey game probably happens, but Sabres.