Blackhawks Vs Sabres: Projected Lineup, How To Watch, & More Ahead Of Game 3

The first two games were not just losses. The Blackhawks were blown out in both, with a combined score of 11-2. Both the Vegas Golden Knights and Utah Mammoth are good and will be playoff contenders, but they shouldn't be able to toy with the Blackhawks the way that they did. Now, the Hawks have another opportunity to bounce back.

The Buffalo Sabres are coming off their most exciting year in decades. They ended a 14-year-long playoff drought, which is the longest in the history of the NHL. They didn't just squeak into the playoffs, either. Buffalo went 50-23-9 for 109 points and won the loaded Atlantic Division.

Buffalo did lose some pieces, including Alex Tuch, who was one of the top free-agent forwards this past off-season. They also lost Bowen Byram, whom they traded to the Chicago Blackhawks in a deal that included the 4th overall pick in the 2026 NHL Draft and Louis Crevier.