Can the San Jose Sharks Turn the Tide at KeyBank Center Against Buffalo Sabres?
The San Jose Sharks are gearing up for a challenging encounter against the Buffalo Sabres at KeyBank Center. Fans of the Sharks have reasons to be cautiously optimistic despite recent performances suggesting a need for improvement in certain areas.
In their last game on January 13 against the Ottawa Senators, the Sharks displayed a mixed bag of results. They managed to net 4 goals, showing some offensive prowess, but ultimately fell short with a loss, conceding 5 goals. The goaltending was solid with an impressive save percentage of 100 percent on 36 shots faced; however, it wasn't enough to secure victory.
One area where SJ has been struggling is faceoffs – winning only 43 percent against Ottawa and even less at 39 percent in their January 10 game versus Toronto Maple Leafs. This aspect could be crucial in controlling the game's tempo and possession against Buffalo.
Another concern is discipline; while not overly penalized in terms of quantity with just two penalties in each of their last three games, it's essential that they minimize time spent shorthanded and capitalize on powerplay opportunities – something they failed to do against Ottawa with no powerplay goals from two chances.
On a positive note, SJ showed resilience by scoring evenly across periods in their January 12 win over Montreal Canadiens and demonstrated strong defensive play by blocking numerous shots – an impressive total of 26 blocks versus Ottawa alone. This defensive solidity will be vital when facing off against Buffalo.
The Sabres will not make things easy for SJ. They'll come into this matchup looking to exploit any weaknesses shown by SJ's recent performances. With home-ice advantage and likely buoyed by their own supporters at KeyBank Center, they pose a significant challenge for any visiting team.
As we look ahead to January 15th’s clash between these two teams, fans should expect an intense battle where every shift counts. The Sharks need to sharpen up on faceoffs and maintain discipline while continuing robust defensive efforts if they want to skate away with a win from Buffalo territory.
Sharks enthusiasts can catch all the action live on ESPN+ or tune into NBCS-CA if following from afar as puck drop is scheduled for noon Eastern Time (ET) at KeyBank Center located in Buffalo, New York (zip code:14203).