The Buffalo Sabres will start their sixth goaltender of the season tonight as Michael Houser will get the call for his first NHL game of this year against the Ottawa Senators in Canadian Tire Centre (7 p.m., MSG/Radio 550).
If the Sabres ever want to get anywhere in the Atlantic Division, they first better conquer Ottawa and Detroit, Harrington says.
While Houser's return to an NHL net is the big story on the ice, there's also major news off it for the Sabres on the injury/Covid-19 front as center Tage Thompson and winger Vinnie Hinostroza will both sit out the game. Thompson, who has played the last two games after returning from the Covid protocol list, is unable to play tonight because he could not travel to Canada since it has not yet been 10 days since his last positive test.
Hinostroza was injured in Monday's 3-2 overtime loss to Detroit, playing just one shift in the third period and not returning. His status is unknown. Brett Murray and Mark Jankowski will both return to the lineup.
Houser is 5-4 with a 2.98 goals-against average and .900 save percentage in 11 games in Rochester. He's best known for shooting from the ECHL all the way to the Sabres' lineup last May, when he got four starts and beat the New York Islanders on back-to-back nights to get his first two NHL wins.
"You've seen him last year so you know how well he prepares for his opportunity," coach Don Granato said after his team's optional morning skate today. "You put him in a game tonight and obviously you want to support him as best you can, as a team and from the team side. But you know that he has been internalizing and visualizing and planning on getting ready for a start.
The Red Wings scored twice in the final 10:07 of regulation to rally from a two-goal deficit and went on to beat the Sabres 3-2 in overtime.
"Last year was quite an experience for him to go through, thrust in a situation he never would have expected. The thought of being in the NHL at that point and all of a sudden you are and playing games. This time around, he has a little bit more hindsight. But his preparation is always awesome."
In the wake of the holiday and Monday's snowstorm, Granato said the Sabres are still getting through imaging and did not have updates on the injured Colin Miller and Zemgus Girgensons. The same applies for goaltender Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen although Granato said he's "improving and on track." Luukkonen remains listed as week to week.
No fans: Because of current Ontario Covid rules, this game will be played without fans. So will the Sabres' return trip to Ottawa next Tuesday.
"With nobody in the building, you just hear the music echoing. It is a different feel," Granato said. "It was a big adjustment for all teams (last season). ... It will be odd, probably a little bit surreal."
Odd schedule: The Sabres (11-20-7) are five points ahead of Ottawa in the Atlantic Division but the Senators (11-18-2) have seven games in hand. Ottawa has had 12 games postponed by Covid protocols or the hope that crowd rules will be less stringent and games can be played later in the season with fans in the building.
As a result, the Sens have played just three times since Dec. 18 – and have not played a home game since Dec. 11. Their last game was Saturday's 6-4 victory in Edmonton, a game that saw them roar from behind with five goals in the third period.
Long time, no see: Because of the pandemic changing the NHL's divisional alignment last season, this will be the first meeting between the longtime rivals since the Sabres' 7-4 loss in Ottawa on Feb. 18, 2020. That game is most remembered for the night then-Buffalo GM Jason Botterill was caught by TSN cameras spiking his game notes into a garbage can in disgust late in the loss.
Jason Botteril slams his papers down after the Sabres loss to the Sens pic.twitter.com/jvfxmyKIox
— Ben Mathewson (@Ben_Mathewson) February 19, 2020
