Kings at Sabres
Three-time All-Star defenseman Dion Phaneuf made his mark in his debut with his new team, but the rest of the Los Angeles Kings failed to follow suit as they dropped their third in a row. The Kings aim to get back on track and end an eight-game losing skid in western New York on Saturday afternoon when they continue their seven-game road trip against the Buffalo Sabres.
Phaneuf scored a power-play goal in Los Angeles' 3-1 setback in Pittsburgh on Thursday, two days after being acquired in a four-player deal with Ottawa. Fellow defenseman Drew Doughty was held in check in that outing but scored the go-ahead goal on the power play with two minutes remaining in the third period of the Kings' 4-2 triumph over Buffalo on Oct. 14. Leading scorer Jack Eichel collected a goal and an assist in that tilt for the Sabres, who have pieced together offense in the wake of his ankle injury on Feb. 9. "I think the guys have done a terrific job rallying around it," coach Phil Housley said on Friday. "... It's been leadership by committee. It's been production by committee. And we need more of it. But it does give you a good chance to evaluate your players."
TV: 1 p.m. ET, NHL Network, Sportsnet West, FS West (Los Angeles), Sportsnet East, Sportsnet Ontario, MSG-B (Buffalo)
ABOUT THE KINGS (30-22-5): Tyler Toffoli hopes a return matchup versus the Sabres can help him break out of his scoring woes. The 25-year-old had recorded a goal and an assist in Tuesday's 7-3 loss in Carolina before being held off the scoresheet for the 13th time in 15 outings at Pittsburgh. Toffoli scored and set up a goal in the first encounter versus the Sabres to give him six points (one goal, five assists) in nine career meetings with the club.
ABOUT THE SABRES (17-30-11): Scott Wilson and Evan Rodrigues each scored in Thursday's 3-2 overtime loss to Ottawa, with the former recording four points (three goals, one assist) and the latter having three (one goal, two assists) since Eichel's injury. Fellow forward Ryan O'Reilly has recorded a pair of three-point performances in the last four games and resides one goal shy of 150 for his career. Seven forwards have collected at least two points during Eichel's absence, during which Buffalo has posted a 2-1-1 mark.
OVERTIME
1. Buffalo C Zemgus Girgensons scored in the first meeting with Los Angeles before enduring a 21-game point drought.
2. The Kings' last win in western New York came on Feb. 21, 2003.
3. The Sabres have netted at least one power-play goal in 12 of their last 17 games.