Jets at Sabres
The Buffalo Sabres continue to live just outside playoff position in the Eastern Conference as they host the Winnipeg Jets on Sunday. Buffalo is 2-1-1 on its season-high seven-game homestand after Saturday's 3-1 victory over Detroit while Winnipeg, which leads the Central Division by one point over Nashville, has lost three straight for the first time this season after Saturday's 5-2 setback at Ottawa.
The Sabres' Sam Reinhart told the media after Thursday's 6-5 shootout loss to Carolina that "we need more from our goalies" and after apologizing personally and publicly Friday, Buffalo responded with a solid defensive effort. "I think they refocused, but that's the thing for me is that's a tight group in there," Sabres coach Phil Housley told the media. "I think it just brought us tighter together, the things that went on." The Jets are 5-5-1 versus the Atlantic - their worst record against any division - as they wrap up a three-game road trip versus such teams. Buffalo prevailed in the first of two meetings this season, 2-1 in a shootout Nov. 16 behind 25 saves by Carter Hutton, who is expected to play Sunday after Linus Ullmark stopped 28 shots Saturday.
TV: 3 p.m. ET, TSN3 (Winnipeg), MSG Buffalo
ABOUT THE JETS (34-18-3): Blake Wheeler (team-high 65 points) has been kept off the scoresheet in consecutive games for the second time this season and first since Nov. 16 and 19. Patrik Laine (25 goals) hasn't scored in 10 games and has two goals in his last 23 contests while recording four of his 10 assists this season during that span. Mark Scheifele (club-best 27 goals, 63 points) hasn't recorded a point in three of his last four games and five of his past eight.
ABOUT THE SABRES (27-20-7): Jack Eichel (club-most 58 points) has 10 points (three goals) in his last nine games after recording an assist versus Detroit. Jeff Skinner has four of his team-best 33 goals in the last six games but was kept off the scoresheet Saturday for the third time in the last five contests. Casey Mittelstadt scored against Detroit to extend his career-high point streak to four games, giving him eight goals and 19 points this season.
OVERTIME
1. Buffalo is 5-for-10 on the power play in its last four games after going 2-for-3 on Saturday
2. Hutton is 5-4-1 with a 2.02 goals-against average and .936 save percentage versus the Jets.
3. Winnipeg is 0-for-10 with the man advantage over its last three games while allowing a power-play goal in each of those contests.