Tampa Bay Lightning visit Buffalo Sabres with both goalies struggling to stop pucks this season
The Tampa Bay Lightning are off to a great start with an 11-4-2 record.All four of their losses, though, have been on the road.
They are just 3-4-2 for the season on the road.Their offense has looked great this season with a 3.71 goals-per-game average, but they are allowing 3.06 goals per game as well.
Their defense probably needs to improve in terms of giving up good looks.They are allowing just 24.7 shots per game, but if they are giving up three goals per game, either the shots are good ones, or the goalie play is lacking.Tampa Bay Lightning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy (88) hugs Boston Bruins right wing David Pastrnak after the Lightning defeated the Bruins during a shootout in a Stadium Series NHL hockey game Sunday, Feb.
1, 2026, in Tampa, Florida.(AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)Over the past five games, the Lightning have won three games and lost the other two, with one in a shootout.
Andrei Vasilevskiy is likely to be in the net tonight.He is 8-4-1 for the season and is allowing 2.85 goals per game, which is 24th in the nation.
He only has an .883 save percentage, which puts him at 33rd in the league.As a starting goalie, that wouldn't even rank him as a top option in the league.
He has been in the net for all four of the road losses this season as well.NHL'S REIGNING MVP NIKITA KUCHEROV REPORTEDLY ASKS LIGHTNING FOR TRADE IN STUNNING MOVEThe Buffalo Sabres are not exactly great to start the season, but they aren't playing poorly either.For the season, Buffalo is 8-6-3, and only 4-5-0 for the year on their home ice.
Their offense has been fine, but not great.The Sabres are scoring just under three goals per game, and they allow 3.29 goals per game.
The Sabres are allowing about the same number of shots per game to opponents as they are taking.The Sabres are playing decent enough hockey lately, but they are 1-2 at home in their current home streak.Buffalo Sabres center Tage Thompson celebrates his goal with defenseman Rasmus Dahlin during the third period ...