One of the key differences between the Tampa Bay of the past and their current roster is their depth. While their top 6 forward group is still elite, their bottom 6 forwards do not resemble what was once there. This presents opportunities for opponents to expose them when their top players are not on the ice. While the Sabres have not had the season they expected out of their top performers (especially compared to last season), their offensive depth is something that has been a contributor. Tonight, it has the potential to influence the outcome of the game.
From a tactical standpoint, the Lightning will have the last change. This means that Granato will not have as much control of the matchups. As a result, the Sabres should focus more heavily on rolling all 4 lines. By rolling their lines, they can get greater mismatches than Tampa Bay.
It’s a pretty simple strategy. Stay out of the box. Tampa Bay has been lethal on the man advantage this season. They score almost 1 out of every 3 powerplays. According to statmuse.com, the Sabres have taken 201 minor penalties this season, resulting in an average of 3.4 penalties per game. If the Sabres were to keep this pace up against the Lightning tonight, they’re likely to give up at least 1 powerplay goal, especially considering their penalty kill has not been particularly strong.
In the Sabres’ last 4 games against Tampa, they have gone 3-1. Unsurprisingly, their powerplay goals against during these 4 games were 2. Given this pattern, there is historical evidence that if you shut down the Lightning’s powerplay, particularly since their offensive depth has taken a dip, they are more likely to struggle to produce offensively.
