Tickets for tonight are available here.
Coverage on MSG begins at 6:30 p.m. The puck drops at 7 on MSG and WGR 550.
Here are five things to know.
Riley Sheahan - who was recalled from Rochester this morning along with Anders Bjork - is expected to make his season debut. He will replace Jack Quinn, who is day to day with an undisclosed injury.
Craig Anderson will start in goal.
Here's the full projected lineup based on the morning skate:
| November 15 vs. Vancouver |
| --- |
| LW | C | RW |
| 53 Jeff Skinner | 72 Tage Thompson | 89 Alex Tuch |
| 19 Peyton Krebs | 37 Casey Mittelstadt | 71 Victor Olofsson |
| 28 Zemgus Girgensons | 24 Dylan Cozens | 77 JJ Peterka |
| 74 Rasmus Asplund | 8 Riley Sheahan | 29 Vinnie Hinostroza |
| LD | RD | G |
| 25 Owen Power | 26 Rasmus Dahlin | 41 Craig Anderson |
| 78 Jacob Bryson | 10 Henri Jokiharju | 31 Eric Comrie |
| 20 Lawrence Pilut | 46 Ilya Lyubushkin | |
| | | |
Sheahan returned to the Sabres on a one-year contract after spending last season in Seattle, where he tallied 17 points in 69 contests. He previously spent 2020-21 with Buffalo, developing a reputation as a dependable penalty killer and presence in the faceoff circle.
"When I was here, it was the COVID year, I know we didn't do very well but I enjoyed my time, I enjoyed the guys," he said. "I think coming back was an easy decision."
Sheahan opened this season with the Sabres but had not played a game when he was assigned to the Amerks on October 31. He has three assists in six games with Rochester.
He hopes to bring an experienced, responsible game tonight.
"Try to chip in both ends of the ice and add some depth on the penalty kill," he said. "I think when you play in the league for a decent amount of time you learn the ins and outs of how to play the game the right way. I like to take pride in that."
Video: PREGAME: Sheahan
Mattias Samuelsson participated in the morning skate, his first on-ice session with the Sabres since he sustained a lower-body injury in Vancouver on October 22.
The Sabres will continue to evaluate how Samuelsson responds to practices but hope to have him in the lineup sometime in the next two weeks.
"I think just besides the injury, just being back out with the guys is always fun," he said. "You feel part of the group again, part of the jokes and stuff. So, yeah, it lifts my spirits a lot."
Video: INJURY UPDATE: Samuelsson
The Sabres earned a 5-1 victory in their meeting with the Canucks in Vancouver on October 22. Rasmus Dahlin had a goal and an assist in that game while Anderson made 29 saves.
The Canucks have won four times in 10 games since then, including three straight losses on their current road trip. They rank 30th in goals allowed per game and last on the penalty kill, having allowed a power-play goal in all but one game this season.
Their strength has been their power play, which ranks fifth in the NHL at 27.6 percent. Bo Horvat has 13 goals this season (including five on the power play), which ranks second in the NHL.
The Sabres have scored shorthanded goals in back-to-back games. The Canucks have allowed four shorthanded goals this season, the second-highest total in the NHL.
The last time the Sabres had shorthanded goals in three straight games: March 2 to 5, 2013. Those were scored by Jason Pominville, Nathan Gerbe, and Cody Hodgson.
