Game 54: Buffalo Sabres (15-30-8) vs. Colorado Avalanche (34-14-5)

Oct 19, 2013; Buffalo, NY, USA; Colorado Avalanche center Matt Duchene (9) and Buffalo Sabres goalie Ryan Miller (30) in play during the game at First Niagara Center. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Hoffman-USA TODAY Sports

The Colorado Avalanche (34-14-5, 73 points) are coming off of a wild game against a team that’s name is fitting — the Minnesota Wild. Nathan MacKinnon scored what would have been the dagger but Jason Pominville added a goal for the wild just 11 seconds later to make it interesting. Colorado would hold on to the lead as they came away with the 5-4 win over their divisional rival.

What: Regular Season: Buffalo Sabres vs. Colorado Avalanche
When: Saturday, February 1st
Where: Pepsi Center, Denver, Colorado
Time: 3:00 PM ET, 1:00 PM MT
TV: Altitude Sports

This is the second and final meeting between the two clubs this year as Colorado came away with the win on October 19th by the final of 4-to-2. Key players such as Matt Duchene, Gabriel Landeskog, Ryan O’Reilly, and Paul Stastny all scored in the win as Jean-Sebastien Giguere came away with the win on 28 saves. Matt Duchene would record the games first-star of the game as the center would collect a goal and assist. Captain Gabriel Landeskog would earn the games second-star as he too would record a goal and a helper.

Paul Stasnty and Alex Tanguay are game-time decisions as they both sat out practice on Friday. Stastny is dealing with an ankle injury while Tanguay’s knee is getting evaluated.

Here is what rookie head coach Patrick Roy had to say about the teams win against the Minnesota Wild Thursday night via NHL.com:

"“We have picked up nine points out of a possible 10 [against Minnesota], which is something great,” coach Patrick Roy said after the game. “We had to play well against these guys and that’s what we’ve done all year.”"

Projected Starting Goaltenders:

Buffalo Sabres: Ryan Miller: 14-20-3, 2.59 GAA, .927% save percentage.
Colorado Avalanche: Semyon Varlamov: 27-9-5, 2.47 GAA, .924% save percentage.

Team Leaders:

Points:

Buffalo Sabres: Cody Hodgson, 29.
Colorado Avalanche: Matt Duchene, 46.

Goals:

Buffalo Sabres: Cody Hodgson, 14.
Colorado Avalanche: Ryan O’Reilly, 20.

Assists:

Buffalo Sabres: Christian Ehrhoff, 19.
Colorado Avalanche: Matt Duchene, 29.

Plus/Minus:

Buffalo Sabres: Chad Ruhwedel, +2.
Colorado Avalanche: Gabriel Landeskog, +10.

Goals Against Average:

Buffalo Sabres: Ryan Miller, 2.59.
Colorado Avalanche: Semyon Varlamov, 2.47.