Chicago Blackhawks vs. Buffalo Sabres Pick & Prediction DECEMBER 27th 2024
Preview and Prediction
After breaking a 13-game winless streak, the Buffalo Sabres will aim to begin putting together a series of victories when they welcome the Chicago Blackhawks on Friday evening.
The Sabres' dreadful 0-10-3 run was put to an end in a dominant fashion in Monday's 7-1 triumph over the New York Islanders. All of the team's frustration from the previous four weeks appeared to be channeled into Monday's blowout, sending them into the Christmas break on a positive note.
Forward Tage Thompson expressed, "There's a great sense of morale in the locker room right now as we head into a much-needed break. Mentally and physically, we can now regroup and reset for the second half of the season with a win under our belt and some good energy."
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The 13-game slump caused the Sabres to drop to near the bottom of the league standings. With 28 points, they are only ahead of the 26-point Blackhawks in the overall NHL table.
Chicago is currently on a two-game losing streak, including a 4-3 defeat to the Minnesota Wild on Monday. The Blackhawks surrendered a lead in each of the first two periods, then fell behind in the third period due to another late breakdown.
The Blackhawks have been outscored 49-32 in third periods, and they share the NHL lead for most goals conceded in third periods this season.
Interim coach Anders Sorensen stated, "I thought it was a bit of the same story. The biggest thing is when the game is on the line, we have to be willing to play offensively. I thought we sat back a little too much."
Despite struggling in most areas of the game, the Blackhawks have excelled at killing penalties. Their 85.3 penalty-kill percentage is the fourth-best in the NHL, and opponents have only scored once in 37 power play opportunities in the Blackhawks' last 13 games.
On the other hand, the Sabres have only converted on 14.7 percent of their power plays, which is the fourth-lowest rate in the league. However, the power-play unit has shown some signs of improvement by scoring on one of their three opportunities in each of their last two games.
Thompson leads Buffalo with 26 points (17 goals, nine assists). Forward JJ Peterka has recorded seven points (two goals, five assists) during a five-game points streak.
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Before stopping 27 of 28 shots against New York, Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen had an 0-7-2 record with an .864 save percentage in nine games. It is likely that he will start again for Buffalo on Friday after seemingly breaking out of his slump.
Chicago's Petr Mrazek missed two weeks with a groin injury before facing the Calgary Flames on December 21st. Arvid Soderblom started against the Wild on Monday as the team is easing Mrazek back into action, but Mrazek is expected to start after the three-day Christmas break.
Connor Bedard leads the Blackhawks with 30 points (nine goals, 21 assists). After a somewhat slow start to his second NHL season, Bedard has picked up the pace, recording four goals and seven assists in his last nine games.
Buffalo has a 6-0-1 record against the Blackhawks since the beginning of the 2021-22 season. This seven-game points streak includes the Sabres' 4-2 victory in Chicago on October 19th in their first meeting this season.
Chicago Blackhawks vs. Buffalo Sabres
Patrick Kane had two goals and two assists to reach two milestones as the Chicago Blackhawks defeated the host Buffalo Sabres 7-3 Friday night.
Kane, a Buffalo native, reached 900 career NHL points with his first goal 50 seconds into the second period. That also gave him the fifth 10-game point streak of his career, making him only the third player in Blackhawks history to have that many after Bobby Hull (five times) and Denis Savard (11 times).
Kane has 25 points (nine goals, 16 assists) in his past 10 games.
Brandon Saad scored twice and Drake Caggiula, Duncan Keith and Connor Murphy each added a goal for the Blackhawks, who were playing for the first time since before the All-Star break. Goaltender Cam Ward stopped 40 shots as Chicago won its third consecutive game.
Jack Eichel, Jason Pominville and Kyle Okposo scored for the Sabres, who were playing their third game in four days since the break. Goalie Carter Hutton allowed four goals on 21 shots before being pulled after the second period for Linus Ullmark.
Caggiula opened the scoring at 18:38 of the first period. Teammate Gustav Forsling intercepted a Buffalo clearing pass and passed to a wide-open Caggiula in front of the net and he put a backhander past Hutton.
Kane made it 2-0 early in the second, taking a long lead pass from Erik Gustafsson and breaking in alone, beating Hutton with a slap shot from the left circle.
Keith made it 3-0 at 5:06 of the second, banking in his own rebound.
Eichel got the Sabres on the scoreboard at 18:05 of the second by redirecting a shot from the point past Ward, but the Blackhawks restored their three-goal advantage when Saad, playing in his 500th game, scored on a wrister with 21 seconds remaining in the period.
The Sabres closed within a goal when Pominville and Okposo scored in the opening 7:16 of the third period.
But Murphy scored at 11:24 to make it 5-3 and Kane added his second at 17:13 before Saad scored unassisted at 19:22.