Game Preview | 5 things to know ahead of Sabres vs. Canucks 

The Buffalo Sabres continue their six-game homestand Saturday when they welcome the Vancouver Canucks to KeyBank Center for the first of two meetings this season.  

The Sabres are 33-23-8 at home against the Canucks and have won three of the last four matchups between the two teams.

Tickets for the game are available here. 

Pregame coverage on MSG/MSG+ kicks off at 3:30 p.m. with faceoff slated for 4. Radio coverage can be found on WGR 550.  

Here are five things to know before puck drop.

1. Injury updates

The Sabres will be without their leading goal scorer Jeff Skinner, who is week to week with an upper-body injury.

Fellow forward Tage Thompson did not play in the final six minutes of Buffalo’s game against the Ottawa Senators on Thursday and missed Friday’s practice due to an injury of his own.

Thompson has not been ruled out for Saturday’s game versus the Canucks.

“In the past, we’ve had situations like this with him, and you don’t know (if he’s going to play) and, boom, he’s ready to go,” Sabres coach Don Granato said after Friday’s practice. “So, he’s ultra-competitive. He’s played lots of games not at 100 percent and below. Tomorrow it could resolve.”

2. In the crease

The Sabres have been utilizing a goalie rotation between Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen and Devon Levi, but that could change Saturday.

Luukkonen has posted a 3-0-1 record and 112 saves in his last four starts, including 25 stops in the Sabres’ 5-3 win over Ottawa on Thursday.

Granato did not share who his starting goaltender will be but recognized Luukkonen’s recent performance.

“You’ll have to watch for that one, I guess,” Granato said. “But he has (earned another start) – he’s played very well. And he’s played consistent, and he’s played well at home and lots of factors that we all see.”

3. Recent success

The Sabres enter the matchup having won three of their last four games after defeating Montreal and Pittsburgh on the road last week and splitting the first two games of their current homestand with a loss to Seattle and win over Ottawa.

4. Greenway on the PK

Following practice on Friday, Granato praised forward Jordan Greenway, who was awarded the sword by his teammates as the player of the game after Buffalo’s victory over the Senators.

Greenway led Sabres forwards with 19:38 of ice time and played 5:10 shorthanded to pave the way for a perfect night on the penalty kill (4-for-4). He ranks 21st among NHL forwards in shorthanded ice time at 92:01 – despite missing 12 games – and has been on the ice for just eight goals against.

“He’s a take-charge leader in preparation,” Granato said. “We’ll sit in the video room and go over it before the game. He talks and sends the right messages, and he commands when he’s on the ice. You can hear him in the stands talking to the three other penalty killers and informing them on the situation. So very, very high situational awareness through experience in that realm of penalty kill.”

5. Scouting the Canucks

Vancouver sits atop the Pacific Division standings with 59 points and a 28-11-3 record. The Canucks have won seven of their last 10 games and enter the contest on a four-game winning streak.

J.T. Miller leads the Canucks with 58 points (19+39) in 42 games, which is tied for third among all NHL skaters. He is currently on a four-game point streak with eight points (3+5) in that span.

Quinn Hughes has recorded 12 points (2+10) in his last 10 games, totaling 51 points in 2023-24. He currently leads all NHL defensemen in points.