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Sabres streaming tomorrow's scrimmage plus 2021 IIHF WJC notes |
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Good news, Sabres fans, the Buffalo Sabres announced today that they will be streaming tomorrow's Blue and Gold scrimmage. The 1pm start is available on Sabres.com and also the team's Facebook and Twitter accounts, according to the press release, and will feature three 20-minute periods giving fans "the first chance to see some of the newest Sabres take the ice for their first game action."
Dan Dunleavy will have the call with Rob Ray doing the color while Brian Duff and Martin Biron offering their analysis throughout the broadcast.
This is the first of two scheduled scrimmages leading up to Buffalo's January 14 season opener versus the Washington Capitals at KeyBank Center.
On his just completed Zoom call with the media, Sabres head coach Ralph Krueger said he'll be watching from the stands and expects "the principles" they've been stressing at practice "to start showing up." Although it's unlikely that Jack Eichel and Victor Olofsson, both of whom are out with injuries, as well as goaltender Linus Ullmark (fulfilling a quarantine in line with Covid protocals,) will participate, Krueger said he expects to have a full team after their scheduled day off on Tuesday.
Krueger also said that they will have an overtime tomorrow, regardless of the score, and that they'll also have a shootout in the scrimmage.
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And if that wasn't enough to whet one's hockey appetite for the upcoming season, Sabreland can continue to follow three prospects in their quest for gold at the 2021 International Ice Hockey Federation World Junior Championships on Monday. Buffalo has three of four prospects remaining in the tournament's final four teams, two playing for Team Canada and one for Team U.S.A.
Canada sports an impressive lineup of some of the best U-20 prospects in the world and is led by Sabres prospect Dylan Cozens. The 2019 seventh-overall pick has been getting plenty of praise for his play as he leads the tournament with seven goals and a plus-10 rating. Cozens is second in points with 13.
Forward Jack Quinn (2020, eighth-overall) has also been getting noticed for his solid two-way game and some deft stickwork for Team Canada, who will be meeting Team Russia in the first of two semi-final games tomorrow beginning at 4pm local time from Edmonton, Alberta.
The second game of the evening begins at 7:30pm with the Americans taking on Team Finland. Sabres d-prospect Ryan Johnson (2019, 31st) has also been receiving plenty of plaudits for his steady game on the blueline.
A fourth Buffalo prospect, forward J.J. Peterka saw his tournament end as Team Germany was ousted by the Russians. Peterka (2020, 34th) skated next to 2020 3rd-overall pick Tim Stuetzle and turned some heads with his two-way game and scoring touch. He finished his tournament tied with Stuetzle for third in scoring with 10 points (4+6.)
Krueger and the rest of Sabres management have been watching the tournament closely while saying he was "extremely pleased" with Peterka and really liked he brought to the table against his peers. The head coach also said that the team feels that "patience is needed at the moment" when it comes to the 18 yr. old and indicated that the best path forward with Peterka is to send him back to Germany to "play a man's game" in the country's top league for EHC München.
However, Krueger did mention that they will have access to players after their seasons in other leagues are finished.
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