Preview: First matinee of the season in Buffalo

10 months ago  /  Mile High Hockey

Photo by Joshua Bessex/Getty Images


Colorado wraps up a three-game road trip in New York.
Who’s up for some Sunday morning hockey?
The Colorado Avalanche play in their first-afternoon game of the season. It wraps up a three-game road trip back in the state of New York against the Buffalo Sabres. The Avs are looking to recover off the back of their first loss of the season, while Buffalo looks to climb out from the bottom of the Atlantic Division.
Colorado Avalanche
As previously mentioned, the Avs are coming off their first loss of the season. Their season-opening six-game win streak was shut down and shut out by the Pittsburgh Penguins in a 4-0 loss Thursday night.
By far, it was their worst night of the season, with nothing clicking up and down the lineup. It even saw Alexandar Georgiev get pulled after the fourth goal in the third period for Ivan Prosvetov’s first appearance of the season.
But, maybe to the surprise of some, Jared Bednar has already said he will keep rolling with the Avalanche’s number-one netminder against the Sabres rather than give Prosvetov his first start. If Georgiev is able to be his usual self and get help in front of him, they could get back to winning ways.


Jared Bednar told us after the game that he would like to start Georgiev on Sunday in Buffalo. That is part of the reason he pulled him out of this game tonight early.#GoAvsGo pic.twitter.com/u4e7iq60bQ— Jesse Montano (@jessemontano_) October 27, 2023



Projected Lines
Artturi Lehkonen (62) - Nathan MacKinnon (29) - Mikko Rantanen (96)Tomas Tatar (90) - Ryan Johansen (12) - Valeri Nichushkin (13)Miles Wood (28) - Ross Colton (20) - Jonathan Drouin (27)Andrew Cogliano (11) - Frederik Olofsson (22) - Logan O’Connor (25)
Devon Toews (7) - Cale Makar (8)Bowen Byram (4) - Sam Girard (49)Jack Johnson (3) - Josh Manson (42)
Buffalo Sabres
The Sabres have not had the best start to the season. Expectations have been placed on them for the first time in a long time, which may be pushing them down. This couldn’t be more exemplified in a heartbreaking 5-4 loss to the New Jersey Devils Friday night on the road.
The link between the Avs and Sabres hasn’t been stronger than it is now. This is mostly due to Erik Johnson’s move to Western New York after spending over a decade in an Avs uniform, and will now play against them for the first time since the 2010-11 season.
He has joined former Av Tyson Jost there as well, as both have recorded only one point so far this season. Former Avalanche players always seem to have a good game against their former team, so don’t be surprised if they lead Buffalo to a win over the Avs through their point-scoring.


Tomorrow night in Buffalo, Erik Johnson will play against the Colorado Avalanche for the first time in 12 years.#GoAvsGo #LetsGoBuffalo pic.twitter.com/CriZTjv7ne— Guerilla Sports (@guerillasports_) October 28, 2023



Projected Lines
Jordan Greenway (12) - Tage Thompson (72) - John Jason Peterka (77)Jeff Skinner (53) - Casey Mittelstadt (37) - Alex Tuch (89)Victor Olofsson (71) - Dylan Cozens (24) - Kyle Okposo (21)Zemgus Girgensons (28) - Peyton Krebs (19) - Tyson Jost (17)
Rasmus Dahlin (26) - Mattias Samuelson (23)Owen Power (25) - Henri Jokiharju (10)Erik Johnson (6) - Jacob Bryson (78)
Goaltenders
As stated above, Georgiev will be getting the nod once again in net for the Avs. Meanwhile, the Sabres will likely go with Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen.
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