Buffalo Sabres vs Calgary Flames Picks and Predictions November 9th 2024

Sabres Look to Continue Offensive Surge Against Flames

The Buffalo Sabres aim to build on their recent offensive explosion as they prepare to host the Calgary Flames on Saturday afternoon. Both teams are coming into this game with different momentum — the Sabres riding high off a commanding win, while the Flames are trying to snap a recent skid.

Sabres Spreading the Wealth

Buffalo (6-4-2) showcased its scoring depth in an impressive 6-1 victory over the New York Rangers on Thursday night. The win was powered by a well-rounded offensive effort, with six different players lighting the lamp. Remarkably, all 12 Sabres forwards notched at least one point, a feat accomplished only once before in franchise history, back in 1994 against the Washington Capitals.

Sabres head coach Lindy Ruff praised the team’s balanced attack, emphasizing that contributions from all four lines were crucial in the victory.

“You’re not going to lose many games when you get an effort like that out of every line,” Ruff said.

The top line of JJ Peterka, Tage Thompson, and Alex Tuch continued to deliver, combining for a goal and two assists. However, it was the second line — featuring Zach Benson, Dylan Cozens, and Jack Quinn — that stole the show, contributing two goals and three assists.

Tage Thompson highlighted the importance of scoring depth:

“You need scoring depth, and when you have every line playing the right way and frustrating the other team, that’s why every line got offense,” Thompson noted. “We were able to capitalize on their mistakes.”

The Sabres’ offensive onslaught came against one of the NHL’s top goaltenders, Igor Shesterkin of the Rangers. Buffalo chased the former Vezina Trophy winner after putting up five goals on 12 shots, dropping his save percentage from .933 to .920.

Zach Benson acknowledged the significance of solving a premier netminder:

“To run him out fairly early, it’s pretty impressive,” Benson said. “We just have to keep playing this way, playing quick and to our identity.”

Flames Searching for Consistency

The Calgary Flames (5-7-1) have struggled to find consistency this season, dropping six of their last eight games (2-5-1). However, they showed resilience in their 4-3 overtime loss to the Boston Bruins on Thursday night. Despite trailing 3-1 entering the third period, Calgary rallied with goals from Yegor Sharangovich and Nazem Kadri to force overtime.

Flames coach Ryan Huska praised his team’s resilience:

“We always feel like we’re still in games, so I’m pleased with how they were a resilient bunch,” Huska said. “That’s a big point for us.”

One positive takeaway for the Flames was the performance of their top power-play unit, which finally broke through after a 10-game drought. The unit, featuring Kadri, Sharangovich, Andrei Kuzmenko, Jonathan Huberdeau, and MacKenzie Weegar, managed to capitalize with the man advantage against Boston.

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“I’m glad they were able to score,” Huska said. “They’re squeezing their sticks a little too much right now, so it’s good to see them convert.”

Key Areas of Focus for Calgary

The Flames have shown a knack for late-game surges, having scored 21 goals in the third period this season. However, they have been slow starters, managing only 19 combined goals in the first and second periods. Calgary will need to find ways to generate offense earlier in games if they hope to keep pace with a high-scoring Sabres team.

Defenseman Tyson Barrie highlighted the team’s belief in their ability to wear down opponents with consistent play:

“I think we have a belief in here, if we play the system and the way that we can play for 60 (minutes), it’ll wear teams down,” Barrie said.

Goaltending Matchup

The Sabres have received strong goaltending from Devon Levi (5-3-1), who has solidified his place as the team’s starter. Levi made 29 saves in Buffalo’s win over the Rangers, showcasing the confidence the Sabres have in the young netminder.

Meanwhile, Calgary will likely turn to Jacob Markstrom (4-5-1, 2.94 GAA), who has been steady but could use more offensive support from his teammates. The Flames need a strong performance between the pipes to contain Buffalo’s dynamic offense.

Outlook

This game will be a classic clash of styles, with the Sabres looking to leverage their offensive depth and quick transition game against a Calgary squad that relies on structure and resilience. If Buffalo can continue its hot streak and spread the scoring across all four lines, they will be tough to beat. On the other hand, Calgary needs to find a way to start strong and not wait until the third period to mount a comeback.

The Flames will have to be at their best defensively and find more consistency on the power play to keep up with Buffalo’s high-octane offense. The Sabres, with their newfound scoring balance, will aim to extend their momentum and make it two wins in a row on home ice.