Atlantic Division foes meet when Sabres host the Lightning

The Tampa Bay Lightning (48-22-6, in the Atlantic Division) are set to face off against the Buffalo Sabres (46-23-8, in the Atlantic Division) in an exciting matchup in Buffalo, New York on Monday at 7 p.m. EDT.

The Buffalo Sabres have been performing well this season with a 46-23-8 record overall and a 15-6-4 record in Atlantic Division games. They currently rank seventh in the league for penalty minutes per game, averaging 9.8. On the other hand, the Tampa Bay Lightning have a strong record of 48-22-6 overall and are 14-6-1 against the Atlantic Division. They have a notable +64 scoring differential, scoring 273 total goals and conceding 209.

This game marks the fourth time these two teams will meet this season, with the Sabres winning the previous meeting with a score of 8-7. Josh Doan led the Sabres with two goals in that game.

Key players to watch in this matchup include Rasmus Dahlin, who has 18 goals and 51 assists for the Sabres, and Nikita Kucherov, who has 42 goals and 83 assists for the Lightning. Tage Thompson and Jake Guentzel have also been standout performers in recent games.

In terms of recent performance, the Sabres have a record of 5-3-2 in their last 10 games, averaging three goals and 4.8 assists per game. The Lightning have been even more impressive with a record of 7-1-2, averaging four goals and 6.5 assists per game.

Injuries may play a role in this game, with Jiri Kulich out for the season for the Sabres and Brandon Hagel day-to-day for the Lightning, among other players on the injury list.

Overall, this game promises to be an exciting clash between two Atlantic Division rivals, with both teams vying for a crucial win in the race for playoff positioning.

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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.