Jets at Sabres
The Winnipeg Jets conclude a brief two-game road trip Tuesday against the lowly Buffalo Sabres. The Jets, who have won five of their last seven away from home, face a Sabres team that is 4-12-2 in its own building. Buffalo has just two wins in its last 12 games (2-8-2), with neither coming in regulation.
Al Montoya started for the first time in four games Monday against the Columbus Blue Jackets and improved to 3-0-1 in his last four starts, but Ondrej Pavelec is expected to be in the crease Tuesday. The Sabres gave Ryan Miller a rest in Saturday’s 2-1 overtime loss to the Calgary Flames. Winnipeg has allowed a Central Division-worst 102 goals, but Buffalo’s offense is last in the league with just 55 tallies.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, TSN (Winnipeg), MSG (Buffalo)
ABOUT THE JETS (15-15-5): Evander Kane returned to the lineup Monday after missing six games with a lower-body injury and recorded a goal and an assist along with six shots. Defenseman Zach Bogosian practiced Monday and is close to returning from a groin strain that has kept him sidelined for 14 games. Blake Wheeler has six goals and eight points in seven December contests.
ABOUT THE SABRES (7-23-3): Miller has posted a .929 save percentage in his last five appearances and a .921 mark on the season but is just 6-17-0 as the team struggles to produce offense. Buffalo has six goals in five contests this month, with Tyler Ennis scoring three of them and rookie Zemgus Girgensons recording two. Cody Hodgson, who leads the team with 18 points, should return to the lineup Tuesday after missing a pair of games with a lower-body ailment.
OVERTIME
1. Buffalo has not allowed a power-play goal in four games. The Jets are 4-for-52 with the man advantage on the road.
2. Jets F Bryan Little, whose 31 points are tops on the team, is on a four-game point streak.
3. Winnipeg is 6-0-1 against the Sabres since the team moved from Atlanta.