Columbus Blue Jackets Staring Down the Barrel: Spiraling Sabres

BUFFALO, NY - NOVEMBER 20: Columbus Blue Jackets Left Wing Sonny Milano (22) looks to pass as Buffalo Sabres Defenseman Nathan Beaulieu (82) defends and Columbus Blue Jackets Right Wing Markus Hannikainen (37) looks on during the Columbus Blue Jackets and Buffalo Sabres NHL game on November 20, 2017, at KeyBank Center in Buffalo, NY. (Photo by John Crouch/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
BUFFALO, NY - NOVEMBER 20: Columbus Blue Jackets Left Wing Sonny Milano (22) looks to pass as Buffalo Sabres Defenseman Nathan Beaulieu (82) defends and Columbus Blue Jackets Right Wing Markus Hannikainen (37) looks on during the Columbus Blue Jackets and Buffalo Sabres NHL game on November 20, 2017, at KeyBank Center in Buffalo, NY. (Photo by John Crouch/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

The Columbus Blue Jackets take on the spiraling Sabres in Buffalo tonight.

Tonight is the second to last game for the Columbus Blue Jackets before their mandatory five day rest period. They have two great chances to pick up wins as they play the reeling Buffalo Sabres and Vancouver Canucks.

Tonight in Buffalo, the Jackets face a Sabres team that is going through an exceptionally rough stretch in what has been a disastrous season. They have lost five in a row, including a 7-4 beatdown on Tuesday against the Winnipeg Jets.

I had the chance to talk to Rich Spaulding, Sabres site expert at SabreNoise.com, ahead of tonights matchup.

Lansing Murphy (LM): Tonight is the last game for the Sabres before their bye week. The team has lost five in a row. Will this teams focus be in the game or on their much needed vacation?

Richard Spaulding (RS): When it comes to what the Sabres are “focused on” at any given point in time, your guess is as good as mine! The organization has already brought up defensive prospect Brendan Guhle, who saw over 17 minutes of ice time Tuesday against Winnipeg, so it is quite possible that the team is already looking ahead, not just to the bye week, but to next season.

As for the players, given how hard they went at each other in practice Wednesday, I would say there are a few of them who actually have some pride left.  Hopefully, they give the Blue Jackets a good game before hanging up their skates for a week.

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LM: What do you think a fair trade for Evander Kane looks like?

RS: I might be one of the few Sabres fans who is not thrilled with the idea of shipping Kane out of town, but I suppose it is inevitable that Kane will get shopped. The Sabres are asking for a first-round pick and a prospect for Kane’s services, but that might be a little too ambitious for a guy who has only scored 30 goals once.

It would be nice to see the Sabres receive that sort of haul, but a proven prospect and a second or third round pick might be the best we can hope for.

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LM: Are you hoping the team keeps “Fallin for Dahlin”?

RS: Yes. God yes.

LM: What’s your prediction for the game tonight?

RS: I think the Sabres will give Columbus 2/3 of a good game. This team is notorious for taking a period off, but there were some tempers flaring up at practice yesterday so maybe they hang tight. In the long run, Columbus is too good to lose this unless they are totally overlooking the Sabres . . . and even if that happens, I still see the Blue Jackets winning by two.

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A two goal victory prediction from Rich Spaulding. Thanks for the prediction and the inside look at the Sabres Rich!

The Jackets would extend their winning streak to three in a row if that was the case. The Jackets and Sabres face off at 7pm from Western New York tonight.