Buffalo, N.Y. (WGR Sports Radio 550) - I find it amazing Monday's Game 7 between the Sabres and Montreal Canadiens is only the third Game 7 ever played in Buffalo in franchise history. In 1997, Derek Plante scored in overtime to beat the Ottawa Senators, and that's the only Game 7 win in the team existence.
The Sabres have lost their six other appearances in a Game 7.
In this year's playoffs, Buffalo has not done well at home, going 2-4. Head coach Lindy Ruff is trying to change things up by putting the team in a Buffalo hotel just to make it seem like they're on the road.
"I felt like the reason we tried to change it up last night was there's a lot of distractions now. You've got a lot of friends, a lot of family, so we just tried to get away from that and just be with the group, and be with each other and wrap our arms around this opportunity," said Ruff Monday morning when speaking with the media.
During his morning press conference, Ruff was sporting a black "goathead" sweatshirt. He was asked if the team, for the first time in 13 playoff games, was going to wear the "goathead" jerseys.
"Ah [maybe] we'll switch it. Coaches wore an assortment today, some blue and some black," Ruff said.
Regular national anthem singer Cami Clune also tweeted out she won't be singing on Monday, and there would be a special guest. In the regular season, when the team wore the "goatheads", Doug Allen very often sang the anthem. I'm sure it's a big disappointment for Clune, who is one of the best in the NHL.
As is usually the case, Ruff isn't going to reveal who his goalie is going to be for Game 7, but Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen came into Game 6 after Alex Lyon let in three goals on four shots in the first period. He then stopped all 18 shots in just under 50 minutes of work.
In this series, Luukkonen is 2-1 with a 2.81 goals-against average and a .903 save percentage, while Lyon is 1-2 with a 4.49 goals-against average and an .847 save percentage.
Sabres forward Tage Thompson had a goal and three assists in Game 6, and is now second in NHL playoff scoring with five goals and 10 assists for 15 points in 12 games. In his last four games, Thompson has three goals and five assists for eight points.
Vegas Golden Knights forward Mitch Marner leads the league with seven goals and 11 assists for 18 points in 12 games.
Rasmus Dahlin is second amongst defensemen in scoring with three goals and 10 assists for 13 points. He tied a Sabres record for the most points in a playoff game, picking up five points in Game 6. Dahlin has points in four-straight games, netting two goals and seven assists for nine points.
The leading playoff scoring defenseman is Minnesota Wild blue liner Quinn Hughes with four goals and 11 assists for 15 points. His playoffs are over, though, as the Wild were eliminated by the Colorado Avalanche.
The winner of Monday's game will advance to the Eastern Conference Final and face the Carolina Hurricanes. Game 1 of that series in Raleigh is slated for Thursday night.
Lindy Ruff has treated this do-or-die home game as a road game
Lindy Ruff has treated this do-or-die home game as a road game
