Game Preview | 5 things to know ahead of Sabres vs. Jets

The Buffalo Sabres conclude a back-to-back set of games at KeyBank Center when they host the Winnipeg Jets on Sunday. 

The Sabres opened the set with a 7-2 win over the Vegas Golden Knights on Saturday, which was their fifth win in the last six games.

Coach Don Granato’s group scored five unanswered goals en route to its victory and was led by multi-point performances from Jeff Skinner (1+2), Owen Power (1+2), Dylan Cozens (2+0), Casey Mittelstadt (1+1), and Eric Robinson (0+2).

Read more in Saturday’s postgame report.

Buffalo will look for its third win in a row against the Jets, who have won eight of their last 10 games.

Tickets for the game are available here.

Pregame coverage on MSG/MSG+ begins at 6:30 p.m. with puck drop scheduled for 7. Fans outside of the Buffalo broadcast market can watch on NHL Network.

Here are five things to know before the puck drops.

1. Projected lineup

Update (5:40 p.m.) - The Sabres will have the same lineup as in Saturday's win over Vegas, including back-to-back starts for goaltender Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen. 

"We're not going to make any changes on defense given the time of year as part of the equation on that," Granato said. 

Here's the projected lineup in its entirety:

Forwards

12 Jordan Greenway – 72 Tage Thompson – 89 Alex Tuch

53 Jeff Skinner – 37 Casey Mittelstadt – 21 Kyle Okposo

9 Zach Benson – 24 Dylan Cozens – 77 JJ Peterka

50 Eric Robinson – 19 Peyton Krebs – 28 Zemgus Girgensons

Defensemen

26 Rasmus Dahlin – 10 Henri Jokiharju

25 Owen Power – 78 Jacob Bryson

33 Ryan Johnson – 75 Connor Clifton

Goalies

1 Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen

31 Eric Comrie

2. In the crease

Luukkonen opened the back-to-back set on Saturday with a 22-save performance in his eighth consecutive start for Buffalo.

Luukkonen has started in 19 of Buffalo’s 23 games since Jan. 1, stopping 488 of 523 shots for a .933 save percentage and a 1.85 goals-against average in that span. His save percentage and goals-against average both rank first in the NHL among goalies with more than six games played since Jan. 1.

3. Special teams

The Sabres have seen recent production from their special teams’ units after converting on three of their last four power plays and scoring two shorthanded goals against Vegas.

Following Saturday’s game, Granato emphasized the positive impact Cozens has had on the penalty kill.

“Dylan specifically has changed on the PK,” Granato said. “I mean, he is evolving into just better and better every day on the penalty kill, more comfortable. Situations that repeat, he’s recognizing faster and picking up on them and when you do that you can jump them quicker and you can close out quicker."

4. Power's production

Power has recorded five points (2+3) in his last four games since returning from an upper-body injury and has reclaimed his spot on both the power play and penalty kill units.

Granato believes that having to sit out allowed Power to reset and come back with a greater calmness to his game.

“I think that the time away and to take a breath has significantly impacted him in a very positive way,” Granato said. “He’s playing with more calm, has more presence, and he has looked very, very good and consistently good since his return. I think he’s elevated. I don’t think he was bad before the injury, but he has absolutely elevated his game since coming back.”

5. Scouting the Jets

The Jets will close out a three-game road trip and conclude their own back-to-back set on Sunday after defeating the Carolina Hurricanes 5-3 in Carolina on Saturday.

Winnipeg is 8-2-0 in its last 10 games and enters the night in second in the Central Division standings with 81 points in 2023-24.

Mark Scheifele has paced the Jets with 53 points (18+35) in 53 games this season while Kyle Connor leads the team with 25 goals.

Laurent Brossoit is expected to start in goal.