Buffalo Sabres vs. Vegas Golden Knights game preview, Digi Mart USA News: The Buffalo Sabres continue their four-game homestand with a visit from the Vegas Golden Knights on Sunday afternoon at KeyBank Center. The puck drops at 3:30 p.m.
Buffalo is coming off one of its most dominant wins of the season, a 5-2 victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets on Friday. Josh Norris scored a pair of goals in that game, while Owen Power matched his career-high with three assists.
Their next test is against the reigning Western Conference champion Golden Knights, who are 2-0-1 on their current road trip. All three of those games have been decided by one goal, and Vegas currently sits second in the Pacific Division.
TV coverage in the Sabres broadcast market is on MSG, with pregame coverage beginning at 3 p.m. The Sabres kept the same lines and pairs from the Columbus win at Saturday’s practice, signaling a potential second straight healthy scratch for forward Ryan McLeod and defenseman Louis Crevier.
Colten Ellis had the starter’s net at practice, which typically means he will get the nod in goal. Ellis has a .909 save percentage in his last three starts.
Vegas has been bolstered of late by rookie winger Trevor Connelly, who has scored in three straight games, including the winner in Detroit on Thursday. Connelly is tied for the rookie scoring lead with 12 points, and his seven goals rank second to Chicago’s Roman Kantserov.
Connelly also owns the fifth-fastest skating speed in the NHL this season at 23.73 mph, clocked in a win over Ottawa on Oct. 27. His breakout has added balance to Vegas’s forward depth.
He has played most often on the third line alongside Tomas Hertl, with stars Jack Eichel, Mark Stone and Mitch Marner anchoring the top six.
