Sabres at Wild
The Minnesota Wild could finally have their entire lineup back on the ice together when they go for a fourth victory in five games Thursday night against the improving Buffalo Sabres. Goaltender Devan Dubnyk has won two straight games since his return, left wing Zach Parise made his season debut in the 5-1 win over Florida on Tuesday and right wing Nino Niederreiter practiced Wednesday after missing five contests with a lower-body injury.
“Getting (Parise) back is such a big lift for us,” Minnesota center Matt Cullen, 41, told reporters after scoring twice Tuesday. “Obviously he competes and the way he competes on the ice himself, also the trickle-down effect throughout our lineup. It was evident tonight. I thought all the lines were going.” Dubnyk has allowed three goals on 69 shots in two games since missing 2½ weeks with and lower-body injury and could be in net as the Wild go for an eighth win in the last 10 contests against Buffalo. The Sabres are slowly recovering from a rough start with points in nine of the past 12 games (4-3-5) after losing 3-2 in overtime to the New York Rangers in the outdoor Winter Classic on Monday. “We can’t stop there,” defenseman Zach Bogosian told the Buffalo News after the Classic. “We’ve got to keep pushing forward and getting better and better every day. Definitely a fun experience (Monday), but now that is over with. We’ve still got a lot of hockey left.”
TV: 8 p.m. ET, MSG Buffalo, FS North (Minnesota)
ABOUT THE SABRES (10-20-9): Center Jack Eichel was shut out in the Winter Classic, but had four shots on net and boasts seven goals and four assists in his past seven contests to lead the team with 35 points - one better than left wing Evander Kane. Defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen, who went his first 28 games of the season without scoring, recorded a goal and an assist in each of the last two contests. Goaltender Robin Lehner, who turned aside 39 shots Monday, has recorded a .932 save percentage in his last six games despite managing only two wins (2-2-2).
ABOUT THE WILD (21-16-3): Parise had three shots on goal and logged 13:35 of ice time Tuesday after missing the first 39 contests following lower-back surgery in October. “I felt really good from the start,” Parise told reporters. “There’s still some plays that you’d like to have back off entries, but that’ll come. Kind of relearning different spots on the ice where you get pressured. … Conditioning-wise, everything else actually felt really good.” Center Eric Staal leads the team in scoring with 35 points after registering three goals and an assist in his last four contests.
OVERTIME
1. Buffalo RW Kyle Okposo, a Minnesota native, is starting to find his game with a goal and three assists in his last three appearances.
2. Cullen’s two goals brought him within one point of 700 for his career and Wild D Matt Dumba needs one for 100.
3. Sabres F Sam Reinhart, the second pick in the 2014 draft, snapped a 16-game goal drought Monday.