Opinion
3 min read

Buffalo Sabres Set to Clash with Washington Capitals at KeyBank Center

As the Buffalo Sabres gear up to face the Washington Capitals, fans are looking forward to what promises to be an electrifying matchup at the KeyBank Center. The Sabres, coming off a mixed bag of recent performances, have shown that they can be both formidable and vulnerable.


Nov 22, 2023; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Buffalo Sabres goaltender Devon Levi (27) clears the puck from Washington Capitals right wing Nicolas Aube-Kubel (96) and Sabres defenseman Connor Clifton (75) in the first period at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

In their last game on March 22 against the Edmonton Oilers, despite a strong offensive effort with 29 shots on goal and three finding the back of the net, defensive lapses led to a loss as they conceded eight goals. The -20 plus-minus rating from that game is a glaring statistic that cannot be overlooked. However, it's worth noting that this was an anomaly compared to their previous games.


Looking back at their performance on March 20 against the Vancouver Canucks, we saw a more disciplined Buffalo team. Although they lost by one goal in a tight contest where both teams scored twice in regulation time, it was an empty-netter that tipped the scales in favor of Vancouver. This game highlighted Buffalo's resilience as they fought back from behind with two third-period goals.


Nov 22, 2023; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Washington Capitals center Connor McMichael (24) shoots the puck as Buffalo Sabres defenseman Mattias Samuelsson (23) defends in the first period at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

The most promising display came on March 19 when they faced off against Seattle Kraken and secured a commanding win with six goals scored while only allowing two against them. Their shooting percentage stood at an impressive 20 percent and goaltending was solid with 32 saves out of 34 shots.


Against Washington Capitals, Buffalo needs to channel their performance from Seattle – high shooting accuracy combined with robust defense will be key factors for success. The Capitals are no easy opponent; however, if recent history has taught us anything about this Sabres squad is that when they click into gear offensively and tighten up defensively, they can take down any team in this league.


Nov 22, 2023; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Washington Capitals center Dylan Strome (17) celebrates with Capitals right wing Tom Wilson (43) after scoring the game winning goal in overtime against the Buffalo Sabres at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

The upcoming battle will test whether Buffalo can maintain consistency across all periods of play – something crucial for clinching victories as we've seen from past games' outcomes being heavily influenced by performance dips in certain periods.


Sabres fans should mark their calendars for April 2nd when these two teams collide under the bright lights of KeyBank Center at 7:00 PM ET. With broadcast options available on ESPN+ for internet streaming or MSG-B and MNMT for television viewing audiences – there's no reason not to catch every second of what promises to be another chapter in this thrilling NHL season narrative.

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