Let's preface with this -- these two games against the Boston Bruins will not make or break the season for the Buffalo Sabres. However, as far as regular season games go, this is a big pair of games.
The Bruins currently hold the last playoff spot in the Atlantic division with 40 points. The Sabres have 34 points BUT they have played three less games than the Bruins.
"We need to be excited about the opportunity we have," Sabres coach Dan Bylsma said. "For everything that we've gone through (in) 34 games, you're staring at a team that's in the playoffs right now,"
On Thursday, the Sabres will host the Bruins for their third meeting of the season. It has been all Boston In the first two games, outscoring Buffalo 6-1.
The first game in November was played at the same time as the Buffalo Bills and Seattle Seahawks Monday Night Football game. For those who didn't watch, here's the spark notes version -- the Bruins dominated and won 4-0.
The second matchup was much closer but once again Tukka Rask was a force, stopping 35 of Buffalo's 36 shots, securing a 2-1 Bruins win.
It wasn't an ideal first two meetings, but all that could be thrown out the metaphoric window with an impressive outing in Buffalo's next two games.
"You talk about big games, we're at game 35 but these two games are as big as they're going to get for us," Byslma added.
The home-and-home concludes Saturday with a 1 p.m. matinee at TD Garden.
