Do you know the way to San Jose'?
Sure. And as the 0-2-1 Buffalo Sabres get ready to hit the Shark Tank, aka the SAP Center, in San Jose, California, the game against the Sharks couldn't have come at a better time. Although it does seem a little strange writing that, especially with this Sabres team reeling from back-to-back blow-out losses, recent games against the Sharks, who are just over a year removed from a Stanley Cup Final appearance, have almost invariably turned in Buffalo's favor.
According to Sabres PR the Sabres are 8-1-1 in their last 10 meetings vs. the Sharks which includes back-to-back season sweeps by Buffalo when the team was in the tank from 2013-15. Things are a bit different at the Shark Tank as the Sabres are only 6-3-1 in their last 10 visits to northern California, but overall the Sabres are 24-7-6 against San Jose'.
The Sharks finished outside of the playoffs last season, the first time that's happened post '04-05 lockout, and they're off to an 0-2-0 start this season. San Jose' suffered both of their losses on home ice, one to the Philadelphia Flyers (5-3) and one to So. Cal rival, the Los Angeles Kings (3-1.) Although there's no panic in the Bay area at this early point in the season, there is some concern with players like alternate captain Logan Couture telling the local press that "there should be some sense of urgency" and that "we need to be better."
Sounds eerily familiar to what we've been hearing from Sabres' players after they stunk up the joint on Columbus Day. Monday's loss to the New Jersey Devils was Buffalo's second loss in regulation, the second game in a row they gave up six goals and it was the third time in a row that they allowed a momentum-changing shorthanded goal (or two.)
The Sabres were extremely sloppy in both those losses to the NY Islanders (6-3) and to the Devils (6-2) with Evander Kane summing it up like this, "we have a big trip out west we need to be ready for because if we play like that, [the score's] going to be 10-0."
In an effort to play an up-tempo game and manufacture shots, the Sabres had forgotten about the defensive zone and are getting caught cheating up ice while in the offensive zone the effort isn't there to win battles, especially on the powerplay. And when the momentum shifts, they're swallowed up in the tsunami.
Buffalo coach Phil Housley mixed things up a bit in the forward group and according to media reports from San Jose, the lines from yesterday's practice are intact save for one surprise. Multiple tweets report that Kyle Okposo is not out there for the morning skate and is being replaced in the lineup by Matt Moulson.
Here are the lines as reported:
Kane-O'Reilly-Moulson
Girgensons-Eichel-Pominville
Pouliot-Larsson-Reinhart
Nolan-Josefson-Griffith
On defense:
Scandella-Ristolainen
McCabe-Gorges
Beaulieu-Tennyson
Goalie Robin Lehner took a shot to the face mask off the stick of Zemgus Girgensons at practice yesterday. He got stitched up and was back on the ice and it looks as if he's back in goal for Buffalo.
Tonight begins a four-game West Coast road trip for the Sabres. After this they head south to take on Los Angeles Saturday and Anaheim on Sunday before they arrive in Las Vegas for their first-ever game against the expansion Golden Knights.
Game-time against the Sharks tonight is 10:30 pm EST.
Follow me on twitter
@boosbuzzsabres 
Join the Discussion:
»