OTTAWA — We’re not usually about writing up a preview for a game considering there’s not much time between when this goes up and the start of the game itself at 7 p.m. ET, but it’s not often the Buffalo Sabres have the chance to end the most ignominious run a franchise has had in NHL history either.
If the Sabres beat the Ottawa Senators on Thursday night, they’ll clinch a spot in the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time since 2011. Whether it’s in regulation, overtime, or a shootout, the win’s the thing that will put an end to their 14 years without reaching the postseason. It’s the longest drought in professional sports, one they’ve been sharing with the New York Jets in the NFL, and it’s the longest in NHL history. It’s been that way for a few years now. It can all be put in the past with a win.
“It’s part of the game that we’ve worked hard to get to it,” Sabres coach Lindy Ruff said. “You focus on winning the game, and we know what winning the game means to us.”
It’s hard to not focus on Ruff. He was the Sabres coach the last time they made the playoffs and when he was asked about what he remembers from clinching a spot in 2011, the amount of time and his own humor had the best answer for it.
“I don’t remember a damn thing about that night to tell you the truth,” Ruff quipped. “And I’m not going to pretend like I did.”
It’s ancient history in respect to the team and sports in general. We’re talking about a decade-and-a-half of darkness after all. That kind of drought just doesn’t happen, especially in the NHL where more than half the league made the playoffs for a time. Now it’s “just” 50 percent. It’s still difficult to get there and even a regular decent season this time around would’ve put Buffalo into the pit fight that’s going on below them in the standings. But they’ve been better than that and that’s why with a couple weeks left in the season they can secure their spot in the playoffs.
“We’ve got to treat it like any other game,” Sabres captain Rasmus Dahlin said. “It’s a division game so it’s going to be a playoff-type hockey game. We can’t overthink it. It’s just another game… Just try to keep the mojo up and the energy and then on the ice, we make sure we compete and skate. That’s when we play our best.”
Buffalo’s lineup against Ottawa will be a little different. Sam Carrick is out week-to-week with the arm injury he sustained in his fight against New York Islanders captain Anders Lee. Ruff said it won’t keep him out of the playoffs, but they’ll monitor things as time goes on. Noah Östlund remains day-to-day and continues to skate back in Buffalo.
Without Carrick and Östlund, Josh Dunne returns to the lineup on the fourth line. We last saw Dunne 13 games ago March 5 in Pittsburgh. With the heavier presence the Senators have with characters like Brady Tkachuk, Dunne gives the Sabres a more physical look and playing in between Jordan Greenway and Beck Malenstyn means the forecheck will be tuned up.
“I think with (Malenstyn)’s game, his forecheck, it’s unbelievable,” Dunne said. “And playing with him and Greenway, they do such a good job protecting pucks that they’re good players to have a lot of O-zone time because when they get the puck, it’s hard to take it from to take it from them. So, I think Beck does such a good job on the forechecking and so does Greener, that allows us to have opportunity in the O-zone.”
The numbers don’t lie when it comes to that trio:
As for the Sabres full lineup, I’d hope all of you know it by heart, at least the biggest parts of it. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen had a net to himself at morning skate which indicates he’ll be the starter. Backup is TBD, but I’d lean on Alex Lyon being the guy as a failsafe.
It would be Luukkonen’s third consecutive start if he goes. He last started three in a row between December 31 and January 6. He went 2-1-0 with wins in Dallas and home against Vancouver and a 5-1 loss at Columbus in between.
LINES/PAIRINGS
Peyton Krebs — Tage Thompson — Alex Tuch
Jason Zucker — Ryan McLeod — Jack Quinn
Zach Benson — Josh Norris — Josh Doan
Jordan Greenway — Josh Dunne — Beck Malenstyn
Mattias Samuelsson — Rasmus Dahlin
Bo Byram — Owen Power
Logan Stanley — Zach Metsa