NBCSN continues its coverage of the 2013-14 campaign tonight when the Buffalo Sabres host the Tampa Bay Lightning at the First Niagara Center at 7:30 p.m. ET. In addition to NBCSN, you can also watch the game online.
No one expected big things out of the Buffalo Sabres this season, but they can’t be this bad. The fact that they started the season 0-3-0 isn’t shocking, but scoring just two goals in three games?
While forward Cody Hodgson is questionable for Tuesday’s contest, they still have Thomas Vanek and Tyler Ennis, and a very promising 19-year-old prospect in Mikhail Grigorenko. On paper their lineup isn’t the stuff that keeps opposing goaltenders up at night, but they can’t be taken lightly either, especially after three rough outings to start the season.
This is a team that will be eager to prove those that have already written them off wrong. A team like the Tampa Bay Lightning needs to be especially careful.
Related: Pro Hockey Talk’s partner FanDuel is hosting a one-day $4,000 Fantasy Hockey league tonight (Tuesday). It’s $25 to join and first prize is $1,000. Starts at 7:00 p.m. ET. Here’s the link.
Tampa Bay entered this season with a questionable defense and a pair of goaltenders that are promising, but still largely inexperienced. Although the Lightning have only given up five goals in their first two games, this might be a good team for Buffalo to face in the midst of an early offensive slump.
If so, this could turn into a high scoring affair as there’s a chance the Sabres will be without goaltender Ryan Miller tonight. Jhonas Enroth isn’t a bad alternative, but the 25-year-old would have his hands full with Martin St Louis and Steven Stamkos.
The Lightning are off to a decent 1-1-0 start, especially when you consider that they started the season on the road and against the two teams that faced off in the 2013 Stanley Cup Final. Going into the campaign expectations were more mixed than bad for the Lightning despite the fact that they were even worse than the Sabres in the shortened campaign.
There certainly is enough talent in Tampa Bay to make them interesting, provided that the netminding duo of Anders Lindback and Ben Bishop works out. More to the point, this might be a critical season for Lightning GM Steve Yzerman. He was offered a vote of confidence last month, but feelings towards him might sour if the Lightning don’t make significant progress in 2013-14.
Making the playoffs will be a very difficult task and while it’s just October, these are the types of games the Lightning need to win to make their path to the postseason more feasible come April.