Coyotes at Sabres
While 19-year-old rookie center Jack Eichel has become the face of the Buffalo Sabres' organization, 21-year-old defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen could be emerging as the backbone. Buffalo continues its maturation process and tries for its third victory in the last four games when it hosts the Arizona Coyotes on Friday.
Ristolainen played a game-high 27:55 and matched a career best with three assists in the Sabres' 5-4 shootout loss in Detroit on Tuesday that dropped Buffalo to 2-4-3 since starting 8-8-0. “As a young player for us, we’re asking a lot of him and what he does for us,” Sabres coach Dan Bylsma told reporters about the No. 8 overall pick in the 2013 draft. “He’s playing against the other team’s best players night in and night out. He’s in every situation, and he’s been pretty dynamic for us.” Arizona began its five-game road trip with a 5-2 loss to Nashville on Tuesday that snapped a three-game winning streak before Thursday's 5-1 setback in Detroit. The Coyotes are led by Max Domi (team-leading 21 points), who along with teammate Anthony Duclair and Eichel is tied for third among rookies with eight goals.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, FSN Arizona Plus, MSG Buffalo, Bell TV (Buffalo)
ABOUT THE COYOTES (13-11-1): Captain Shane Doan (six goals and 10 points in 20 games) missed his fifth straight contest Thursday because of a lower-body injury, but could return Friday according to coach Dave Tippett. Mike Smith allowed three goals in the first period Thursday, including two in 18 seconds in the final minute, and was replaced by Anders Lindback. Duclair, who has one goal in his last eight games, leads the team at plus-6, while Domi hasn't tallied in nine contests.
ABOUT THE SABRES (10-12-3): Eichel, the No. 2 overall pick in last June's draft, shares the team lead in goals with Ryan O'Reilly. Ristolainen has a team-best 13 assists and 17 points - trailing only O'Reilly (20), who has three points in his last two games. Matt Moulson recorded an assist in each of the last three contests but has only four goals - none in the last 13 games - and 17 in 102 contests since signing a five-year, $25 million contract with the Sabres prior to last season.
OVERTIME
1. Buffalo has scored two power-play goals in each of its last two games after going 0-for-13 in its previous five contests.
2. Arizona is 3-2-0 in the second contest of back-to-back games this season, including 1-1-0 involving consecutive road contests.
3. The road team has won six of the last seven meetings after the clubs split two games in 2014-15 with each winning away from home.