BUFFALO SABRES NOTES:
LAST GAME
Sunday, Dec. 4
San Jose 3 at Buffalo 6
Goals: Quinn (2), Thompson, Peterka, Skinner, Tuch
Goalie: Luukkonen (26 saves/29 shots)
PP: 2/4; PK: 0/1; Shots: Buffalo 38 – San Jose 29
CURRENT INJURIES – (Man Games Lost: 58)
Player (injury, first game missed) – total games missed
Eric Comrie (Lower body, Nov. 19; IR) – 8 games
Ilya Lyubushkin (Lower body, Nov. 30; IR) – 3 games
Vinnie Hinostroza (Undisclosed) – 0 games
TRANSACTIONS IN PAST SEVEN DAYS
12/4: Activated D Jacob Bryson off IR; Placed D Ilya Lyubushkin on IR
UPCOMING GAMES
Friday, Dec. 9: Pittsburgh at Buffalo, 7 p.m.
Saturday, Dec. 10: Buffalo at Pittsburgh, 7 p.m.
Tuesday, Dec. 13: Los Angeles at Buffalo, 7 p.m.
Thursday, Dec. 15: Buffalo at Colorado, 9 p.m.
Saturday, Dec. 17: Buffalo at Arizona, 9 p.m.
TONIGHT’S GAME
SABRES at BLUE JACKETS
• This is the first of three meetings between the Sabres and the Blue Jackets this season.
• Last meeting: Columbus defeated Buffalo 7-3 in Columbus on Feb. 20, 2022.
• Next meeting: Tuesday, Dec. 27, 2022 in Columbus.
• The Sabres are 4-3-3 in their last 10 games against the Blue Jackets; 3-5-2 on the road.
• This is the 39th game all-time between Buffalo and Columbus; Buffalo has a 14-19-5 series record.
• The Sabres are 5-9-3 on the road against the Blue Jackets all-time.
THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW
• Six Sabres skaters (Dylan Cozens, Rasmus Dahlin, JJ Peterka, Jack Quinn, Jeff Skinner, Tage Thompson) have recorded at least one point in each of the team’s last four games.
• Dylan Cozens was named the NHL’s Second Star for the week ending Dec. 4.
• Cozens recorded nine points (4+5) in that span.
• Cozens has tallied 16 points (5+11) in his last 12 games and is riding a four-game point streak, the longest of his career.
• Tage Thompson has notched 31 points (15+16) in his last 18 games.
• Jeff Skinner has tallied 15 points (9+6) in his last 10 games, including 13 (7+6) in his last seven.
• Skinner has recorded more multi-point games (8) than single-point games (7) in 2022-23.
• JJ Peterka has notched four points (2+2) during his four-game point streak.
• A goal tonight would give Peterka the first three-game goal streak of his career and would make him the first Sabres rookie to record a three-game goal streak since Victor Olofsson (Oct. 5 to 9, 2019).
• Rasmus Dahlin is riding a four-game point and assist streak and has recorded 12 points (1+11) in his last 10 games.
• Jack Quinn owns nine points (5+4) in his last eight games.
COLUMBUS DAY
• Tage Thompson (4+3) and Rasmus Dahlin (1+6) are both riding five-game point streaks against the Blue Jackets and both have recorded seven points in that span.
• Dahlin has notched nine points (1+8) in his last seven games against the Blue Jackets.
• A goal in tonight’s game would give Kyle Okposo a three-game goal streak against the Blue Jackets.
• Victor Olofsson’s shooting percentage against Columbus (27.3) is tied for his highest shooting percentage among teams he has played at least five games against in his career.
HISTORY REPEATS ITSELF
• Per NHL stats, 2022-23 marks the first time since 2006-07 that three Sabres skaters have recorded a three-game multi-point streak within the team’s first 25 games. Dylan Cozens, Jeff Skinner and Tage Thompson have each done so in 2022-23 and Maxim Afinogenov, Daniel Briere and Thomas Vanek did so in 2006-07.
• The Sabres have converted on 27.4 percent of their power-play opportunities through their first 25 games of 2022-23.
• The current franchise record for power-play percentage in a single season is 24.5 percent, set in 2016-17.
• Buffalo currently owns a 5-on-5 shot attempts percentage of 52.6 percent, the highest mark by a Sabres team in a single season since the league began tracking the stat in 2009-10.
• Buffalo’s 3.80 goals scored per game is the highest by a Sabres team since the 1992-93 Sabres recorded 3.99 goals per game.
• Three Sabres skaters (Rasmus Dahlin, 1.21, Jeff Skinner, 1.08; Tage Thompson, 1.36) have scored at least one point per game played through the team’s first 25 games.
• The 2006-07 Sabres were the last team in franchise history to have three or more skaters with at least one point per game played (Maxim Afinogenov, 1.09; Daniel Briere, 1.17; Thomas Vanek, 1.02).
TOE THE LINE
• According to Natural Stat Trick, the line of Jeff Skinner, Tage Thompson and Alex Tuch owns a corsi for percentage of 63.80 and an expected goals for percentage of 58.96.
• When on the ice together, Skinner, Thompson and Tuch have recorded 30 goals and allowed just 13.
• The trio has recorded a combined 40 goals on the season, 42.11 percent of all goals scored by Buffalo skaters in 2022-23.
• Skinner (eight multi-point games), Thompson (nine multi-point games) and Tuch (five multi-point games) have all recorded multiple points in at least five games in 2022-23.
• There have been 14 instances of a Sabres skater tallying three or more points in a single game in 2022-23 and nine of the 14 were recorded by Skinner, Thompson or Tuch.
• Entering play on Tuesday, Skinner and Thompson were two of the 16 NHL skaters who had recorded three or more multi-goal games.
• Skinner (27 points, 12+15), Thompson (34 points, 16+18), Tuch (24 points, 12+12) all rank in the top three in points among Sabres forwards.
• In Buffalo’s last five games, the trio has recorded 17 combined points (8+9).
THE KIDS TABLE
• According to Natural Stat Trick, the line combination consisting of Dylan Cozens, JJ Peterka and Jack Quinn has produced 35 high-danger scoring chances at 5-on-5 for the Sabres in 92:22 of ice time at 5-on-5 together.
• All but three of the high-danger scoring chances they have created as a line have come at 5-on-5.
• At 5-on-5, the line’s expected goals for percentage is 64.86 and their corsi for percentage is 56.77.
• The line’s collective 5-on-5 corsi for percentage and 5-on-5 expected goals for percentage are higher than each individual member’s percentages without the other two.
• Cozens (21), Peterka (20) and Quinn (21) are all 21 years of age or younger.
• Entering play on Tuesday, Cozens (24 points) ranked third in scoring and tied for second in even-strength goals (7) among NHL skaters aged 21 or younger.
• Cozens recorded nine points (4+5) in the week ending Dec. 4 and was named the NHL’s Second Star of the Week for the first time in his career.
ENTER TAGE LEFT
• Through Buffalo’s first 25 games, Thompson is on pace for 112 points and would become just the fourth Sabres skater to record 112 or more points in a single season (Pat LaFontaine, 148 points in 1992-93; Alexander Mogilny, 127 points in 1992-93; Gilbert Perreault, 113 points in 1975-76)
• Thompson is also on pace to score 52 goals in 2022-23, which would make him the first Sabres skater since Pat LaFontaine (53) and Alexander Mogilny (76) in 1992-93 to record 50 or more goals in a single season.
A 50-goal season would make Thompson just the fifth skater (Danny Gare, Pat LaFontaine, Rick Martin, Mogilny) in franchise history to reach that plateau at least one time.
• Entering play on Tuesday and dating back to Oct. 29, Thompson ranked second in the NHL in goals (15), third in points (31) and was fourth in points per game (1.72).
• Thompson leads all Sabres skaters in goals (16), points (34), even-strength points (20), points per game (1.36), shots (112) and power-play goals (7).
• Thompson is also tied for second in even-strength goals (8).
• Thompson ranks second among all Sabres forwards in time on ice per game (18:42) and is tied for first among all Sabres skaters in time on ice per shift (0:49).
• According to Natural Stat Trick, Thompson is tied for the team lead with 52 individual high-danger scoring chances and he leads the team with 41 individual high-danger scoring chances at 5-on-5.
• Entering play on Tuesday, Thompson was tied for fourth in the league with 112 shots on goal and was one of eight NHL players who had recorded 110 or more shots in 2022-23.
• Thompson owned the second-highest shooting percentage (14.3) among the eight players who had recorded 110 or more shots on goal.
SECRETARY OF DEFENSE
• Buffalo is 7-1-0 in games in which Rasmus Dahlin records multiple points in 2022-23.
• Dahlin is on pace for 98 points this season, which would shatter Phil Housley’s single-season franchise points record by a Sabres defenseman (81).
• Dahlin would be the first NHL defensemen since Brian Leetch (102 points) in 1991-92 to record 98 or more points in a single season.
• Entering play on Tuesday, among NHL defensemen, Dahlin ranked tied for second in goals (8), second in points (29), tied for first in points per game (1.21), tied for first in power-play goals (4) and power-play points (15) and fourth in time on ice per game (25:58).
• Through his first 24 games, Dahlin has only failed to record a point on four occasions (Oct. 27 vs. Montreal, Nov. 12 vs. Boston, Nov. 23 vs. St. Louis and Nov. 25 vs. New Jersey).
• Dahlin has recorded a point in every road game he has played in 2022-23.
• Dahlin (623:23) is the only Sabres skater who has logged more than 600 or more minutes of ice time through the team’s first 25 games.
• Entering play on Tuesday, only 4 skaters in the NHL had skated more minutes in 2022-23 than Dahlin, and he had played at least two fewer games than all four of them.
UNLIMITED POWER
• Entering play on Tuesday, Owen Power and Jake Sanderson were the only defensemen aged 20 or younger who had notched 10 or more points this season.
• Entering play on Tuesday, Owen Power ranked tied for third among rookie defensemen in points (10) and was tied for second in even-strength points (7).
• Entering play on Tuesday, Power led all rookie skaters in time on ice per game (23:36), with the next closest rookie at 21:04 (Sanderson).
• Power’s time on ice per game trails just Tyler Myers (23:44) in 2009-10 for the most by a Sabres rookie in a single season.
• Power leads all Sabres skaters in even-strength time on ice per game (20:41). No Sabres rookie has ever averaged more than 20 minutes of even-strength time on ice per game.
• Through Buffalo’s first 25 games, Power has recorded multiple points on three separate occasions (Oct. 20, 0+2; Nov. 2, 0+2; Nov. 5, 0+2), tied for second among rookie defensemen in 2022-23 entering play on Tuesday.
COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS NOTES:
Dec. 7, 2022 Game No. 25 (8-14-2, 18 pts.)
vs. Buffalo Sabres (11-13-1, 23 pts.), Nationwide Arena Home Game No. 17 (6-9-1, 13 pts.)
The Blue Jackets Press Box website, which includes game notes, stats, releases and video/audio clips as well as the 2022-23 Media Guide can be accessed at bluejackets.com/pressbox. Follow @BlueJacketsPR on Twitter for comprehensive information and updates on the team.
THE LAST GAME: DEC. 6, 2022 – CBJ 1 at PIT 4
CBJ Goal Scorers: Gaudreau (9)
PIT Goal Scorers: Rust (7), Crosby (14), PP – Crosby (15), Blueger (1)
Goalies: CBJ – Merzlikins (30/34; 57:06); PIT – Jarry (38/39; 59:47)
CBJ PP: 0/5; PK: 4/5 | Shots: CBJ: 39 / PIT: 34
3 Stars: 1. Crosby, PIT; 2. Rust, PIT; 3. Blueger, PIT
Noteworthy: CBJ scored their lone goal 1 minute into the game, but PIT scored 4 unanswered goals (3 in the 2nd and 1 in the 3rd) to win… Gaudreau tied for the team lead (Jenner) with his 1st period goal, extending his points streak to five-straight games (2-7-9)… Laine tallied an assist and now has 2-1-3 in his last 3 outings… Berni made his NHL debut recording 1 shot and 13:39 of ice time… Marchenko made his NHL debut registering 2 shots and 10:03 of ice time.
OhioHEALTH INJURY REPORT
Danforth (torn labrum); Placed on Injured Reserve (Oct. 25); 6 months (18 games)
Boqvist (broken foot); Placed on Injured Reserve (Oct. 26); 6 weeks (16 games)
Voracek (upper body); Placed on Injured Reserve (Nov. 4); out indefinitely (13 games)
Blankenburg (ankle); Placed on IR (Nov. 10); 6-8 weeks (11 games)
Werenski (torn labrum); Placed on IR (retro to Nov. 10); Expected to miss rest of regular season (11 games)
Bean (shoulder); Placed on IR (retro to Nov. 15); out indefinitely (9 games)
Christiansen (illness); day-to-day (1 game)
TOTAL MAN GAMES LOST: 135
RECENT TRANSACTIONS
Dec. 5 Recalled Marchenko from Cleveland (AHL) and assigned Fix-Wolansky to Cleveland (AHL)
Dec. 1 Activated Laine and Merzlikins off IR and assigned Tarasov to Cleveland (AHL)
Dec. 1 Signed 2022 2nd round pick Luca Del Bel Belluz and 2021 5th round pick James Malatesta to 3-year entry level contracts
Nov. 29 Assigned Sweezey to Cleveland (AHL)
Nov. 28 Recalled Berni from Cleveland (AHL) and assigned Gaunce to AHL club.
Nov. 25 Signed 2022 third round pick Jordan Dumais to three-year entry level contract
Nov. 24 Recalled Meyer from Cleveland (AHL) and assigned Bemstrom to Cleveland (AHL)
Nov. 20 Placed Merzlikins on Injured Reserve retroactive to Nov. 15 and recalled Fix-Wolansky from Cleveland (AHL)
TONIGHT’S GAME BROADCAST INFO
7:30pm ET | TNT | 97.1 The Fan
AGAINST THE SABRES
2022-23 Series: 0-0-0 (0-0-0 vs. BUF)
2021-22 Series: 3-0-0 (1-0-0 vs. BUF)
All-Time Series: 23-12-1-2 (11-5-1-0 vs. BUF)
Last 10 (Overall | Home): 6-2-2 | 7-3-0
All-Time GF/GA: 123/103
All-Time SF/SA: 1,220/1,170
All-Time PP: 23-of-132
All-Time PK: 96-of-123
THE LAST GAME VS BUF: FEB. 20, 2022 – CBJ 7 vs. BUF 3
CBJ Goal Scorers: Kukan (2), Jenner (21), Kukan (3), Werenski (8), Gaunce (2), EN – Nyquist (13), Danforth (3)
BUF Goal Scorers: Pysyk (2), Thompson (20), Okposo (12)
Goalies: CBJ – Berube (33/36; 60:00); BUF– Anderson (32/38; 59:00)
CBJ PP: 0/2; PK: 1/1 | Shots: CBJ: 39 / BUF: 36
3 Stars: 1. Kukan, CBJ; 2. Gaunce, CBJ; 3. Berube, CBJ
Noteworthy: CBJ won 2nd consecutive game… CBJ scored 7 goals in back-to-back games for 1st time in club history… Berube earned victory in CBJ debut and 1st NHL action since 4/6/18… Gaunce collected 1st career multi-assist and 3-point game (1-2-3)… Kukan notched 1st career 2-goal and 3-point game (2-1-3)… Laine stretched points streak to 9-straight (10-8-18) with 2 assists… Werenski scored a goal to extend his points streak to 5-straight (2-4-6).
SEASON SERIES LEFT: Dec. 27 at CBJ… Feb. 28 at BUF
Columbus Blue Jackets: Media Notes
NOTED (Team Highlights vs. BUF)
CBJ have picked up points in last 7 meetings (5-0-2) and 13 of the past 16 games of the series since 4/8/16 (11-3-2)… CBJ have won the last 2 home games and are 7-2-0 in the last 9 games at NWA dating back to 4/10/15… 4 of the last 6 meetings have been decided after regulation with each team winning 2 games in OT… Winning team has recorded 4-plus goals in 4-straight contests and 8 of the last 9 since 10/27/18… Each team has recorded 3 shutouts (MR: Bobrovsky in 4-0 win at BUF on 3/31/19) and a penalty shot (MR: Nash unsuccessful vs. Miller on 10/19/07)… Most goals scored vs. BUF: 7 (2/20/22)… Most goals allowed vs. BUF: 5 – 3x (MR: 1/29/19).
NOTED (Player Highlights vs. BUF)
Foudy notched his 1st career NHL point (assist) on 2/13/20 at BUF… Gaudreau skated in his 300th career NHL game on 3/7/18 at BUF… Laine notched his 100th career NHL point (goal) on 1/9/18 at BUF.
SCORING NOTABLES vs. BUF
•Gaudreau – 8-7-15 in 13 career GP, including points in 6 of his 7 home contests (5-4-9)
•Gavrikov – 2-3-5 in 6 career GP, including points in 4-straight games played vs. Buffalo (2-3-5)
•Jenner – 5-5-10 in 20 career GP, including points in his last 4 consecutive games played against the Sabres (2-4-6) and assists in the last 3 (0-4-4)
•Laine – 1-6-7 in 10 career GP, including assists in 3 of his last 4 home games (0-4-4)
•Nyquist – 4-10-14 in 28 career GP, including points in 2 of the 3 meetings in 2021-22 (1-1-2)
•Roslovic – 3-1-4 in 8 career GP, including goals in 2 of his last 3 contests vs. the club (3-1-4)
A LOOK AT DECEMBER
The Blue Jackets fell for a second consecutive game and to 5-5-2 in the last 12 games overall following a 4-1 loss to the Penguins on Tuesday. Tonight’s contest against Buffalo opens up a three-game homestand with Columbus also hosting Calgary (Friday) and Los Angeles (Sunday). The team will then play six-of-eight contests on the road from December 13-29. Columbus closes up a stretch of three-straight contests against the East tonight. The Blue Jackets play 15 games in the month of December with two sets of back-toback games (Dec. 6 at PIT/Dec. 7 vs. BUF; Dec. 19 vs. DAL/Dec. 20 at PHI).
TWO DIFFERENT STRETCHES
Nine of the club’s first 12 games were competed against teams that made the 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs, including facing off against the Stanley Cup champion Avalanche twice and Stanley Cup finalist once (Tampa Bay Lightning). The club is now at the end of a stretch of 11-of-13 contests from November 10-December 7 played against teams that failed to make the postseason. The only playoff teams over the second stretch are Florida (Nov. 20) and Pittsburgh (Dec. 6).
A PAIR OF NHL DEBUTS
Right wing Kirill Marchenko, who was recalled from the American Hockey League’s Cleveland Monsters on Monday, and defenseman Tim Berni, who was recalled from Cleveland on November 28, both made their NHL debuts on Tuesday at Pittsburgh. Marchenko was selected by the club in the second round, 49th overall, at the 2018 NHL Draft while Berni was selected in the sixth round, 159th overall in the same draft. It’s only the sixth instance in franchise history that two players from the same draft made their NHL debut in the same game and the first instance that was not in a season opener. Marchenko played in the KHL from 2017-22 before making the move to North America this season. He ranked second among AHL rookies in points and power play goals (tied), fourth-T in assists and fifth-T in goals at the time of his recall on Monday with 8-11-19 and four PPG in 16 games this season and recorded points in 14 of his 16 outings. Berni has posted 4-15-19 with 54 PIM in 87 career AHL games with the Monsters since making his North American pro debut in 2021-22. The 22-year-old blueliner has collected 1-3-4, 10 PIM, 14 shots and a +1 plus/minus rating in 15 contests with Cleveland in 2022-23. Defensemen Marcus Bjork and David Jiricek have also made their NHL debuts with the Blue Jackets this season.
FROM THE BLUELINE
CBJ blueliners, who have recorded goals in two of the last three contests (2-1-3), have collected 9-21-30 in the last 18 outings and 13- 27-40 in 24 games this season to rank eighth-T in the NHL in goals. Defenseman Erik Gudbranson scored his first goal with the club on Friday at Winnipeg, picking up his 100th career point in the process (28-72-100 in 664 games). Vladislav Gavrikov, who has tallied an assist in two of the last four games (0-2-2), notched his second career overtime winner and fifth career game-winning goal on Nov. 15 vs. the Flyers, finishing with 1-1-2, while also skating in a career-high 28:40 TOI (previous 28:20 on Apr. 22, 2022 vs. OTT). He became the fifth different defenseman in NHL history to score each of his first two or more goals of a season in overtime and is also one off the franchise record for overtime goals by a defenseman in a single season (3; Seth Jones, 2016-17 & 2018-19).
ROOKIE REPORT
The club currently has eight rookies on the roster with forwards Liam Foudy, Kent Johnson, Kirill Marchenko and Carson Meyer along with defensemen Tim Berni, Nick Blankenburg (injured), Marcus Bjork and Jake Christiansen. They have combined for 10-15-25 in 24 games in 2022-23 after notching both goals in Sunday’s game vs. Detroit. CBJ rank fifth among NHL team rookies in goals and points. Johnson, who registered a goal on Sunday and has 1-1-2 in his last three games, ranks fourth-T among NHL rookies in goals, sixth-T in points-per-game (.62; min. 10 GP) and eighth-T in points with 6-7-13 in 21 games. He has registered 3-4-7 in his last 10 outings and 6-6-12 in his past 18 contests played. Bjork also scored a goal on Sunday and now has 1-2-3 in the past seven games (overall 2-3-5 in 11 GP). The blueliner tallied points in his first two NHL games after scoring his first career goal in his NHL debut on Nov. 12 at NY Islanders and picking up his first career assist on Nov. 15 vs. Philadelphia. He is the first blueliner and seventh player overall in franchise history to score in his debut.
CAPTAIN BOONE JENNER
Boone Jenner had his three-game points streak (1-3-4) snapped on Tuesday at Pittsburgh. He finished the month of November with 8- 3-11 in 11 contests, which was the third-most goals in the month in franchise history (tied). The forward ranks ninth-T in the NHL in goals scored at home this season with 9-7-16 in 16 outings. He also ranks fourth in the NHL in faceoff wins (298-of-525 faceoffs; 56.8 pct.). The 29-year-old, who was selected 37th overall at the 2011 NHL Draft, is the longest-tenured Blue Jacket in his 10th season with the club, including his second as the team’s captain. The forward skated in his 600th career game on Nov. 4 vs. Colorado, becoming just the third player to reach the milestone with the franchise. With his second goal on Nov.15 vs. Philadelphia, Jenner notched his 150th career goal with the Blue Jackets and became the third player to reach the milestone with the franchise, joining Rick Nash (289) and Cam Atkinson (213). He also ranks fifth on the franchise’s all-time list in points (302).
RK PLAYER TOTAL GP SEASONS WITH CBJ
- Rick Nash 674 2002-12 (9 seasons)
- Cam Atkinson 627 2011-21 (10 seasons)
- Boone Jenner 613 2013-current (10 seasons)
- Nick Foligno 599 2012-21 (9 seasons)
- David Savard 597 2011-21 (10 seasons)
HERE’S JOHNNY!
Left wing Johnny Gaudreau stretched his points streak to five consecutive games (2-7-9), including three-straight multi-point efforts from Nov. 25-Dec. 2, with the Blue Jackets’ lone goal on Tuesday. He has now collected 4-14-18 in his last 12 contests. The forward tied the franchise record for assists in the month of November with 3-11-14 in 11 outings (Andrew Cassels in November 2002). The six-time All-Star leads the club in goals (tied), assists and points with 9-18-27 in 24 games while recording points in 17 of his contests. The winger has done most of his damage at home with 8-13-21 in 16 outings, ranking eighth-T in the NHL in points. He played in his 318th consecutive game on Tuesday, the third-longest active iron man streak in the NHL and trailing only Phil Kessel (1,009) and Brent Burns (705). The Salem, New Jersey native, who signed a seven-year contract with Columbus in July, has collected 219-417-636 in 626 NHL games, including a career-high 40-75-115 in 82 games with Calgary last season when he earned First Team All-NHL honors.
TOUGH TO REPLACE Z
Defenseman Zach Werenski recorded his first multi-point game of the season with 1-1-2 in a win over Philadelphia on Nov. 10 to extend his points-streak to three-straight games (1-3-4) before leaving the with an upper body injury. Unfortunately, that was the last CBJ will likely see the club’s top defenseman this regular season as it was announced Friday that he suffered a separated shoulder and torn labrum and likely to miss six months. He led the club’s blueliners in goals, assists and points at the time of the injury with 3-5-8 in 13 games. The two-time NHL All-Star blueliner set single-season career highs in assists, points and time on ice and posted the third-most assists (tied) and points by a defenseman in a single season in franchise history with 11-37-48 and 25:40 TOI in 68 games in 2021-22.
