Canucks lines vs Sabres, November 29, 2024

On By Littum

Without Filip Hronek, an odd-time starter, and the Vancouver Canucks playing their third game in four nights, their matchup against the Buffalo Sabers will be a challenge.

On Friday night, the Vancouver Canucks face their toughest challenge yet.

No, not the prospect of playing without Filip Hronek on the blue line, but a 3pm puck drop – noon PST. Those kinds of start times throw all your gameday routines out of whack. This is the time when a player might wake up from their midday nap, not get dressed to play hockey.

With that in mind, it could be a bit of an odd first period as both teams adjust to the odd start time. There may be a feeling process to begin the game.

It doesn’t help that it will be the Canucks’ third game in four nights. The Canucks’ legs could wobble in the third period, so getting off to a good start will be crucial and also very difficult given the disruption to their game day.

Of course, I’m cutting this preview short because it’s almost game time. The weird start time also messes with my gameday routine.

Vancouver Canucks projected lines

Without Hronek, Vincent Desharnais will retire in the lineup. It looks like the Canucks will move Tyler Myers up to play with Quinn Hughes and hope Carson Soucy and Noah Juulsen can handle things on the other pairing.

Here are the Canucks’ lines:

sports visualization

The Canucks also shake up their forward lines a bit, moving Nils Höglander and Aatu Räty up to the third line with Brock Boeser. That makes a lot of sense as Boeser hasn’t had much offensive help in his return with two more defensively minded players in Teddy Blueger and Danton Heinen. Höglander and Räty have a slightly more offensive upside.

The Canucks’ starting goalie will be Kevin Lankinen.

Buffalo Sabers projected lines

Rasmus Dahlin will play for the Sabers despite leaving Thursday’s practice early.

The Sabers lost their last game against the Minnesota Wild 1-0, but won three in a row before that. They are currently tied for fourth in the Atlantic Division in points percentage with an 11-10-1 record.

Here are the Sabres’ lines:

JJ Peterka – Tage Thompson – Alex Tuch
Zach Benson – Dylan Cozens – Peyton Krebs
Jason Zucker – Jiri Kulich – Jack Quinn
Beck Malenstyn – Ryan McLeod – Sam Lafferty

Rasmu Dahlin – Bowen Byram
Owen Power – Henri Jokiharju
Jacob Bryson – Connor Clifton

Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen
James Reimer

The Sabres’ starting goaltender will be Ukko-Pekka Lukkonen, who has been very stingy in net for the Sabers this season with a .914 save percentage.