Atlantic Division rivals meet to open the NHL season as the Ottawa Senators visit the Buffalo Sabres on Thursday night.
It’s been a long time since the Ottawa Senators have tasted playoff hockey, last reaching the postseason in 2017 when they made a run to the Eastern Conference Finals. For the Buffalo Sabres, it has been even longer. The Sabres have played 11 campaigns since their last playoff appearance in 2011. But Buffalo showed some signs of life last season, finishing fifth in the Atlantic Division, still well out of playoff contention but avoiding a second straight last-place entry. The Senators were seventh in the Atlantic and have played at a .445 clip the last three years under coach D.J. Smith.
How to Watch Ottawa Senators at Buffalo Sabres Today:
Game Date: Oct. 13, 2022
Game Time: 7 p.m. ET
TV: MSG Sportsnet
Live Stream: fuboTV (Watch for free)
Tickets: Tickets as low as $68
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The Senators closed out a 5-3-0 preseason with four straight wins over Montreal, closing on Saturday with a 3-2 overtime win over the Canadiens in Moncton, Nova Scotia. Buffalo also had a winning mark in the exhibition season, finishing 4-2-0, but taking a 7-1 thrashing at Pittsburgh on Friday in its finale.
Ottawa will be without newly acquired goalie Cam Talbot for three to five more weeks with an upper-body injury. Talbot had a 2.76 goals-against average and .911 save percentage for the Wild last season, posting three shutouts while finishing 32-12-4. But the Sens also added forward Claude Giroux and Alex DeBrincat and a star defenseman in Thomas Chabot.
Buffalo also brought in a new goalie, signing Eric Comrie from the Jets. The Sabres also added a veteran blueliner in Ilya Lyubushkin. Ninth-overall pick Matt Savoie will continue his development in the Western Hockey League this season.