Game 55: Ducks Finish Road Trip In Buffalo

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By Michael Walters

The Anaheim Ducks(25-19-10) finish the road trip against the Buffalo Sabres(14-29-9). The Ducks are 0-1-0 against the Sabres this season. The game starts at 4:00 PM PT and will be on Prime Ticket locally and AM 830.

Anaheim Outlook:

The Ducks won their first game on this road trip against the red-hot Boston Bruins, but then dropped the next three games. The Ducks will go with Ryan Miller again, who hasn’t been great in his last two starts. Anaheim did call up Nic Kerdiles from San Diego and he could play tonight. John Gibson was placed on the IR to make room for Kerdiles.

Keys To The Game

Nothing is going right for Anaheim right now. They need to play more discipline by taking less penalties and working on their defensive play. Anaheim has given up 12 goals in their last two games. Randy Carlyle put some of the original lines back together yesterday, but it didn’t work. Ducks need to turn their play around and quick.

Anaheim’s Projected Lineup:

Offense
Rickard Rakell – Ryan Getzlaf – Corey Perry
Andrew Cogliano – Ryan Kesler – Jakob Silfverberg
Nick Ritchie – Adam Henrique – J.T. Brown
Chris Wagner – Derek Grant – Ondrej Kase

Defense
Cam Fowler  – Kevin Bieksa
Hampus Lindholm – Josh Manson
Korbinian Holzer – Brandon Montour

In Net
Ryan Miller, 6-4-5, GAA 2.63, SV% .922 (Confirmed)

Buffalo’s Outlook:

The Sabres are in last place in the Atlantic Division and the Eastern Conference. The good news is they are playing the Ducks on the second of back-to-back games. Anaheim has also been struggling in their last three games. Buffalo is 4-6-0 in their last 10 games.

Keys To The Game

If the Sabres can score first and put Anaheim in a hole early, then they have a chance to earn two points. Buffalo should focus on establishing a forecheck in hopes of getting penalties drawn against Anaheim, who have been lacking discipline lately.

Buffalo’s  Projected Lineup:

Offense
Zemgus Girgensons – Jack Eichel – Sam Reinhart
Evander Kane – Ryan O’Reilly – Kyle Okposo
Scott Wilson – Evan Rodrigues – Jason Pominville
Benoit Pouliot – Jacob Josefson – Jordan Nolan

Defense
Marco Scandella – Rasmus Ristolainen
Justin Falk – Jake McCabe
Nathan Beaulieu – Casey Nelson

In Net
Robin Lehner, 11-20-6, GAA 2.80, SV% .914 (Confirmed)

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February 6th, 2018