Can the Buffalo Sabres Ride Their Home Ice Advantage to Victory?

As the Buffalo Sabres prepare to host the Chicago Blackhawks at KeyBank Center, fans are eager to see if their team can capitalize on their home ice advantage. The upcoming clash, set for January 19th, promises an exciting display of hockey prowess.

The Sabres have shown a mixed bag of results in their recent outings. A commanding 3-0 victory over the San Jose Sharks highlighted their ability to dominate defensively and offensively, with a shooting percentage of nine percent and a solid goaltending performance that boasted a save percentage of one hundred percent. However, this win was sandwiched between two less favorable outcomes—a shutout loss against the Vancouver Canucks where they failed to convert on any of their shots and another game where they let slip a lead against the Ottawa Senators but managed to secure an impressive five points.

Despite these fluctuations, there are positive trends for Buffalo. The team's power play has been effective, scoring in two out of three games and operating at fifty percent efficiency during those opportunities. Additionally, faceoff performance has been relatively stable hovering around fifty percent win rate which is critical for possession control.

KeyBank Center has been kind to the Sabres; fan support is palpable and often translates into energetic performances from the home squad. With an average attendance nearing capacity, it's clear that Buffalo enjoys robust local backing which could play into their hands as they seek another home win.

Looking ahead at this matchup against Chicago Blackhawks—the venue may indeed influence proceedings as it has done so favorably in recent times for Buffalo.

Fans can catch all the action live on MSG-B or tune into NBCS-CHI depending on locale preferences. Puck drop is scheduled for January 19th at KeyBank Center—home turf where Buffalo will look to harness every ounce of support from its passionate fan base.