The Carolina Hurricanes are set to face the Buffalo Sabres at the Lenovo Center in Raleigh, North Carolina, this Saturday at 7 p.m. ET. The game will be broadcast on ESPN+. The Hurricanes will be looking to extend their recent success against a Sabres team dealing with key absences.
Carolina is coming into the game with a 9-4-0 record and a 4-1-0 record in home games. Over their last 10 games, the Hurricanes have gone 6-4-0, averaging 3.2 goals per game while giving up 2.6. The Hurricanes' offense has been potent, ranking 10th in the league with 47 goals scored. Sebastian Aho leads the team with four goals and nine assists, while Seth Jarvis has contributed five goals and four assists in his last 10 games. Defensively, the Hurricanes are among the league's best, conceding just 2.7 goals per game, ranking them fourth overall. However, their power play has struggled, as they have the league's 32nd-ranked power-play conversion rate at 10.81%.
The Buffalo Sabres enter the contest with a 5-5-4 record and are struggling on the road with a 0-2-2 record. In their last 10 games, the Sabres have a 4-2-4 record, averaging 2.7 goals and allowing the same amount. Josh Doan has been a key performer for the Sabres, with five goals and four assists, while Tage Thompson has four goals and three assists in his last 10 games. The Sabres' offense has struggled this season and are currently ranked 29th in the league in goals scored.
Adding to the Sabres' challenges, captain Rasmus Dahlin will be taking a temporary leave of absence to return to Sweden due to a personal matter. Coach Lindy Ruff has confirmed the team fully supports Dahlin during this time, with no set timetable for his return. Dahlin's absence is a significant blow to the Sabres, as he has been a key player, notching one goal and nine points in 14 games this season. In September, Dahlin revealed that his fiancée, Carolina Matovac, underwent a lifesaving heart transplant over the summer.
The Sabres are already dealing with multiple injuries, with five players who were in the opening night lineup currently out. Center Josh Norris is out with an upper-body injury. Despite these challenges, the Sabres had a seven-game point streak recently ended by a 3-0 shutout loss to the St. Louis Blues.
Given the Hurricanes' strong form and the Sabres' struggles with injuries and Dahlin's absence, Carolina is favored to win. Computer projections estimate a final score of Hurricanes 4, Sabres 2. The Hurricanes have been dominant when scoring three or more goals, boasting a 9-1-0 record in such games. The Sabres, conversely, have struggled to find consistency on the road and are looking to snap a four-game road losing streak.
The Hurricanes will also be without Shayne Gostisbehere who is on injured reserve. However, K'Andre Miller recently returned from a six-game absence and made an immediate impact in the lineup.
