Preview: Arizona Looks to Rebound Against Buffalo on Saturday
Coyotes take on Sabres in a Saturday matinee matchup
The Arizona Coyotes finish their two-game road trip in Buffalo with a Saturday (Oct. 16) matinee against the Sabres. This marks the first matchup between the clubs since February 29, 2020 (5-2 W), and the first in Buffalo since October 28, 2019 (3-2 SO W). Arizona captured both contests in 2019-20 and enter Saturday winners in three of the last five games against the Sabres. That season, Nick Schmaltz potted the shootout-winning goal at Buffalo.
PACK FACTS
The Coyotes' franchise is 27-46-7-2 all-time against Buffalo, including a 9-6-3-1 clip at KeyBank Center.
Clayton Keller logged his first goal of the 2021-22 campaign on Thursday (Oct. 14) to inch closer to 70 career goals and 200 career points. Since the franchise moved to Arizona in 1996-97, 11 players have recorded 70 goals and 10 players have compiled 200 points in a Coyotes uniform.
Phil Kessel picked up an assist against the Blue Jackets, a contest that marked his 901st consecutive game played and 12th consecutive opening night game played. Kessel has found the scoresheet in three consecutive games dating back to last season, compiling 2-4-6 in that span.
Anton Stralman notched the Yotes' first goal of the season. He became the first defenseman to register the Coyotes' season-opening goal since Zbynek Michalek (Oct. 9, 2015).
A LOOK AT THE SABRES
Buffalo (1-0-0, 2 pts) enters Saturday winners of its opening night contest. Victor Olofsson, who led the Sabres in scoring last year among returning skaters, was one of five multi-point performers in Buffalo's 5-1 win over the Habs on Oct. 14. The Sabres-Coyotes matinee is the second of a four-game homestand for Buffalo to begin the campaign.
MILESTONES TO WATCH
Ryan Dzingel…2 assists from…100 career NHL assists
Clayton Keller…1 goal from…70 career NHL goals
Andrew Ladd…1 goal from…250 career NHL goals
NOTABLE CONNECTIONS
Ex-Coyotes
• Drake Caggiula (2020-21)
• John Hayden (2020-21)
• Vinnie Hinostroza (2018-20)
Ex-Sabres
• Phil Housley (Player, 1982-90; Head Coach, 2017-19)
• Carter Hutton (2018-21)
• Johan Larsson (2013-20)
Ryan Dzingel was teammates with Craig Anderson in Ottawa from 2015-19.
Phil Kessel skated with Craig Anderson for Team USA at the 2006 and 2008 World Championship.
André Tourigny was an assistant coach with the 2015-16 Ottawa Senators club that Craig Anderson was on.
Dmitrij Jaskin played with Tage Thompson in St. Louis in 2017-18.
Carter Hutton played with Tage Thompson in St. Louis in 2017-18.
Christian Fischer was a member of the USNTDP with Tage Thompson in 2014-15…Played for Don Granato at the USNTDP (2013-15).
Clayton Keller played with Casey Mittelstadt at the USNTDP (2015-16)…Represented Team USA with Anders Bjork and Tage Thompson at the 2017 World Championship.
Nick Schmaltz was teammates with Anders Bjork for Team USA at the 2016 World Junior Championship and 2017 World Championship…Represented Team USA with Will Butcher at the 2015 World Junior Championship…Played with Drake Caggiula at the University of North Dakota (2014-16)…Played with John Hayden in Chicago over parts of the 2016-19 seasons, Vinnie Hinostroza over parts of the 2016-18 seasons and Henri Jokiharju for part of the 2018-19 season…Had Don Granato as an assistant coach in Chicago (2017-19).
Antoine Roussel played with Cody Eakin in Dallas from 2012-17.
Loui Eriksson played with Cody Eakin in Dallas during the 2012-13 campaign…Teammates with Colin Miller in Boston during the 2015-16 season…Represented Team Sweden with Robert Hagg at the 2019 World Championship
Shayne Gostisbehere was teammates with Robert Hagg in Philadelphia from 2016-21.
Anton Stralman skated with Mark Pysyk for the Florida Panthers during the 2019-20 season.
Andrew Ladd represented Team Canada at the World Championships with Jeff Skinner from 2011-13.
