Alex Lyon is set to make history with the Buffalo Sabres as he aims for his 10th consecutive win, which would break the franchise record for most consecutive victories by a goaltender. The current record of nine straight wins was established by Gerry Desjardins in December 1976. Lyon tied this mark after the Sabres’ recent success and will look to surpass it when Buffalo hosts the Los Angeles Kings at KeyBank Center on Thursday.
Lindy Ruff, who has been involved with the team as both a player and coach during the tenures of several Vezina Trophy-winning goalies, commented on Lyon’s achievement: “You run through all those different goaltenders who have been here, and now all of a sudden he’s the one that has put together a streak like that,” Ruff said. “He’s put together a real impressive group of games for us and been a big reason why we’ve been able to win the number of games we’ve won.”
Lyon’s role becomes more significant given that Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen is currently sidelined with a lower-body injury sustained during Tuesday’s game in Toronto. His status remains under evaluation.
The Sabres are experiencing their most successful 23-game stretch in franchise history, posting a 19-3-1 record since December 9. This performance has placed them third in the Atlantic Division, six points ahead of the Florida Panthers, who are currently outside playoff position. However, with 30 games remaining before the Olympic break, players remain focused on continued improvement.
“We’ve only got back to the race,” captain Rasmus Dahlin said after his hat trick and five-point night in Toronto. “We still have lots of hockey left. I mean, we have a lot of things we have to get better at, too. That’s the exciting part. If you want to win in this league, it’s not going to be easy, so this is just the beginning.”
Tonight’s game begins at 7 p.m., with television coverage available on MSG starting at 6:30 p.m., streaming options through Gotham Sports App and ESPN+ (for out-of-market viewers), and radio broadcasts via WGR 550 and the Buffalo Sabres App.
Forward Jordan Greenway participated in an optional morning skate but will miss his third consecutive game due to a middle-body injury that required two surgeries over the past year. The team continues to manage his recovery carefully.
“He’s gonna have a meeting with doctors again (Monday) and just try to figure out where we’re at with all this and see if there’s something we can approach a little bit differently,” Ruff explained regarding Greenway’s status. “He may have to go back and see his surgeon, just to get another opinion from him.” Ruff also noted that Tyson Kozak’s effective play filling in for Greenway has allowed additional time for Greenway’s evaluation: “Greenway could play, but he’s really being hampered,” Ruff said. “So, the way we look at it, we’re healthy, we’ve got an extra guy.”
Among other updates:
– Tage Thompson enters tonight’s contest riding a four-game point streak.
– Rasmus Dahlin is two assists away from tying Don Luce for seventh-most assists in Sabres history.
– Mattias Samuelsson has recorded an assist in each of his last four games; another point tonight would be his longest career streak.
The visiting Los Angeles Kings arrive following three straight wins, including their latest victory over Detroit where Anton Forsberg made 26 saves on 27 shots. Recent contributions from fourth-line players Samuel Helenius and Jeff Mallot have supported their winning run. Adrian Kempe leads Los Angeles with 40 points this season and also holds a four-game point streak.
