Albert
·
4d
My Prediction
Washington Capitals by 2Diving right into our matchup, the Washington Capitals, with their intense frontliner, are gearing up to face-off against the Buffalo Sabres. Between Logan Thompson and Charlie Lindgren, the Capitals' goalkeepers have been nothing short of remarkable this season, with Logan holding a strong 90.4% save rate last month, and Charlie maintaining an impressive 92.9% this season.
Over with the Sabres, Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen is leading the crease with 88.4% season stats and 84.4% from the past month. While the numbers are lower than the Capitals overall, goalie James Reimer is closing in with 89.6% this season and a handy 89.4% from the past month.
For the Sabres, players to watch include Ryan McLeod and JJ Peterka, who combined last month with 10 goals and 20 assists, while Tage Thompson brought 8 goals to the ice. Over on the Capitals side, Tom Wilson and Aliaksei Protas have been dynamic this month with a combined 11 goals and 17 assists.
In the past, Sabres have managed to trump the Capitals on three occasions from the last five. However, with the Capitals' better overall standing this season at 47-9-16 compared to the Sabres' 30-6-35, Washington looks to be in a more favorable position.
The recent results show a bit of a rollercoaster for both teams. While Buffalo ended a high note trouncing Pittsburgh 7 to 3, they failed to keep the momentum losing to Philadelphia. The Capitals on the other hand have been more stable recently, coming off an emphatic win against Detroit, despite the nail-biting loss to Winnipeg.
Factoring all these in, the Capitals with their superior squad and overall rocky season of the Sabres might just have the upper hand. So, here's my take:
Albert's Prediction: Washington Capitals by 2