Tage Thompson and the Sabres return to KeyBank Center with a gold medal and lots of momentum.
After nearly a month away, the Buffalo Sabres are finally back in action at KeyBank Center, taking on the Vegas Golden Knights on Tuesday at 7 p.m.
Buffalo returned from the Olympic break and took care of business on a challenging road trip, beating the New Jersey Devils, Florida Panthers and first-place Tampa Bay Lightning, all in regulation, in the span of four days.
Saturday’s 6-2 blowout in Tampa further legitimized these Sabres as Eastern Conference contenders. The Lightning – especially goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy – had been nearly unbeatable for months, but the visiting Sabres needed just 22 minutes to build a 5-0 lead and end Vasilevskiy’s night with a “mercy pull,” in the words of Tampa Bay coach Jon Cooper.
Now a force on the road (16-2-1 since Dec. 9), Buffalo looks to continue putting on a show for its home crowd, too. Despite losing to Montreal and Pittsburgh at KeyBank Center before the break, the Sabres own a .661 home points percentage (17-8-3) this season, tied for sixth best in the NHL.
Tuesday’s crowd should have some extra juice as Buffalo honors Tage Thompson and Team USA for their Olympic gold medal. The forward thrived with three goals in Milan and has stayed hot with the Sabres, collecting four points (2+2) during the road trip.
“I’m excited to see those towels being waved,” Thompson said. “I heard it’s already sold out, so (the) place will be rocking. Boys are playing good hockey right now, too, so I think everyone’s excited.”
Here are all the details before puck drop.
TV (Sabres broadcast market): MSG (Pregame coverage begins at 6:30 p.m.)
Streaming: Gotham Sports App, ESPN+ (out of market)
Radio: WGR 550 / Buffalo Sabres App
More ways to watch/listen to Sabres games
Based on Monday’s practice, the Sabres look to be rolling out the same lines from Saturday’s win. The one change is in net, where Alex Lyon is expected to start.
Vegas still leads the Pacific Division despite a 4-7-2 skid. That includes back-to-back losses entering Tuesday, most recently a 5-0 blowout Sunday in Pittsburgh.
The Golden Knights have gotten an .861 save percentage from Adin Hill and Akira Schmid in those 13 games, third worst in the NHL since Jan. 19. Buffalo, over that same span, ranks first with a .924 team save percentage.
Forward Mark Stone, who has 60 points (21+39) in 43 games this season, exited Sunday’s loss with an injury and won’t play Tuesday, per Vegas coach Bruce Cassidy.
Thompson said he hopes to incorporate Golden Knights Jack Eichel and Noah Hanifin, his U.S. Olympic teammates, into the pregame ceremony, as Jack Hughes did for him last Wednesday in New Jersey.
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