Let's dive into the icy fray between the Buffalo Sabres and Los Angeles Kings. Between the pipes for the Sabres we've got Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, showcasing a stunning 232 saves in the past month, and Devon Levi, not as prolific but holding his own. For the Kings, we're looking at David Rittich and Darcy Kuemper, both with similarly intermediate figures on the save front.
In terms of high scorers, the Sabres are led by Rasmus Dahlin and Tage Thompson. Thompson is lighting it up with 8 goals in the last month. However, let's not forget about Alex Tuch and his impressive plus-minus of 8, and Ryan McLeod who's been a consistent performer.
On the Kings side, we see Anze Kopitar and Adrian Kempe taking the lead. Kopitar, acting more as a playmaker than net filler, scoring 2 goals and 12 assists last month, and Kempe doing a bit of both. Chipping in as well is Alex Laferriere and Warren Foegele, both showing great goal scoring ability.
When examining prior face-offs between these two clubs, it's actually a fairly even split, with each team taking 2 victories in the last four matchups. So, let the puck drop where it may.
Taking a look at the regular season record, the LA Kings arguably have the edge with a 10-3-6 record, compared to Buffalo's 8-1-9 season so far.
Finally, turning our eyes to the recent games, the Sabres have had an up and down ride, with a mixture of wins and losses, with a surprising trouncing of the New York squad. The Kings, on the other hand, seem more steady with a solid win against Detroit but they've suffered a few disappointing loses recently as well.
Taking all of this in, I've got to throw my hat in with the Kings. Kuemper and Rittich's steady performance in goal combined with the powerful presence of Kopitar and Kempe on the attack, give the Kings a solid chance.
So, without further ado:
Albert’s Prediction: Los Angeles Kings by 2
