Jets at Sabres
THE STORY: The Winnipeg Jets understand the importance that good road showings will have on their quest to keep pace in the Eastern Conference playoff race. The Jets have dropped the first two of their current four-game road trip but will look to bounce back against the host Buffalo Sabres on Saturday night. Winnipeg has been outscored 11-3 in the previous two losses, something captain Andrew Ladd knows is unacceptable. "We can't be happy with how we've been on the road and how the last two games have gone," Ladd said. "I think when we're at home it's easy to find that excitement and legs. That's a big part of our game, speed both ways. It seems when we get on the road, we stop. We have to find a way to get our excitement back and get our legs going and play 200 feet."
TV: 7 p.m. ET, MSG-B, CBC
ABOUT THE JETS (19-16-5): Winnipeg, currently two points out of the No. 8 seed, is mired in a stretch that sees the club play 14 of 19 games away from home. Ondrej Pavelec, who got the night off in Thursday’s 4-0 loss to Toronto, will need to overcome some past struggles against Buffalo if his team is to get back on track. The 24-year-old netminder is winless (0-2-2) with a 4.35 goals-against average in his career when facing the Sabres. Forward Blake Wheeler has five goals and five assists in his last nine outings.
ABOUT THE SABRES (18-18-4): Buffalo isn’t coming into the showdown with much momentum either, having dropped seven of nine games. Jason Pominville scored in Friday’s 4-2 loss to Carolina and has a pair of goals and two assists in his last four home games. Goaltender Ryan Miller is 12-2-5 with a 2.62 GAA in his career against the Winnipeg franchise. Buffalo hasn’t won consecutive games since early November.
OVERTIME:
1. Buffalo center Derek Roy suffered an upper-body injury early in Friday’s tilt and did not return. His status is uncertain.
2. Winnipeg is 0-2-2 in its last four trips to Buffalo.