G21 New Jersey Devils vs Buffalo Sabres: Start a new streak

The Devils lost their 13-game winning streak to the Maple Leafs. Can they begin a new one in Buffalo?

Follow along on Twitter @ToddCordell | @InfernalAccess

Be sure to join the Discord channel to talk hockey, and everything else, with our writers and subscribers.

---

A few notes to get you set for New Jersey vs Buffalo:

Sharpshooter SZN

The Buffalo Sabres roster one of the league’s most dangerous shooters in Tage Thompson; and he enters this contest scorching hot.

After a slow start to the season, Thompson has responded by going on an epic heater. The behemoth center has amassed a whopping 23 points over the last 13 games. That puts him just one shy of Connor McDavid, Jason Robertson, and Erik Karlsson for the league lead during that time.

Tage has been especially dangerous on home soil, where he has generated a mind-numbing amount of shots and chances.

He has attempted 12 shots or more in five of his last nine home games, over which time he’s created 55 scoring chances. Those are absurd numbers.

Head coach Don Granato generally tries to keep his top line away from top competition at home, allowing for Thompson and co. to feast on lesser players.

Although the Devils have good depth, getting Tage away from Jack and Nico as often as possible – and allowing for the Sabres’ top players to spend more time with the puck each shift – is probably a good course of action.

New Jersey’s bottom two lines were cratered against Toronto in terms of expected goals. If they’re not much better this time around, Tage is going to make them pay.