Scouting the woebegone Buffalo Sabres, Thursday’s opponent for the Kings

The Buffalo Sabres are off to a bad start to the season by any measure available. They went into Thursday’s game against the Kings with a league-worst 3-13-1 record. They were winless at home. They scored only 31 goals and gave up 53. Only the Edmonton Oilers had given up more with 62. Still, the challenge is no different than from playing one of the NHL’s elite teams, according to Kings center Anze Kopitar. Take the night off, and the Kings risk getting embarrassed.

“We’ve go to come out and play a high-energy game,” Kopitar said. “You know which teams are struggling because you’re in the hockey life or the hockey circles. The word goes around. But you prepare for each and every game separately, but in the same way. It’s not going to be any different (against Buffalo). It’s the NHL. There’s no bad teams. Anybody can beat anybody on any given night, so if we’re not going to be on our game I’m sure we’re going to have a tough time playing against them, too. You’ve got to be on your game each and every night.”

Oh by the way, the Sabres are coming off a shootout win at San Jose.

 

Facebook Twitter Plusone Digg Reddit Stumbleupon Tumblr Email