Buffalo Sabres look to reignite playoff charge with win over Toronto Maple Leafs - NHL Preview
It is now or never for the Buffalo Sabres as they look to sneak in to the playoff spots with a win on Tuesday, April 3rd, 2012 against Toronto Maple Leafs at the First Niagara Center.
Playing on home-ice the Sabres will be looking to bounce right back from the defeat to the Maple Leafs on Saturday and get equal on points with eighth placed Washington Capitals in the Eastern Conference.
Buffalo need the win desperately and with just three games left to play in the regular season they need to win all points to upstage the Capitals.
The Sabres are currently ninth in the Eastern Conference with 86-points just two behind the Capitals.
Toronto on the other hand are eliminated already as their poor form in the final half of the season led them to drop out altogether from the race for the playoffs.
The Leafs with 77-points lie down in 13th in the Eastern Conference and will be looking to spoil Buffalo’s chances of making it into the playoffs.
Sabres (38-31-10, 86 pts)
Buffalo are on a two-game losing streak and cannot afford any more hiccups with just three games left in the entire season.
Their hopes for the playoffs hinge completely on these last games and nothing but victory will assure a run in the Stanley Cup playoffs.
Their last defeat came at the hands of their Tuesday night opponents as Buffalo lost out 4-3 to the Maple Leafs on the road and leaving them with no room to manoeuvre.
The Sabres defence was completely outplayed in the first two periods as the Leafs built up a 3-1 lead. Buffalo though mounted a fight back and made it 3-2 in the sixth minute of the third period.
The Leafs though regained their two-goal advantage four minutes later and even though forward Drew Stafford made it 4-3 late in the period it was not enough to give the Sabres any points.
Goaltender Ryan Miller of the Sabres said after the game.
"We scored some goals tonight, so I didn't need to be perfect. But I needed to make another save or two."
Maple Leafs (34-36-9, 77 pts)
Toronto have been already eliminated from the playoffs after a disastrous second half of the season. The Leafs ended a three-game losing streak on Saturday with a win against the Sabres and will be looking to further ruin things for Buffalo on Tuesday.
The Leafs gave a chance to rookie goaltender Ben Scrivens in the last game and he performed with aplomb making 29 saves.
Speaking after the game the youngster said.
"You want to come out and be confident, that's how I play the game. When I am with the (AHL) Marlies, I am trying to play that same game. It's not a matter of trying to do one thing or another for a specific situation. I play best when I am at the top of
the crease when I am in a good ready stance and when I can play the puck and help the guys break the puck out. The intention was just to play my game."
Predictions
Buffalo may have been defeated on the road but at home ice and in front of their fans they will be looking to win the game and reignite their charge for a playoff spot.
Sum of goals will be less than six.
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