Coyotes at Sabres
The Phoenix Coyotes’ four-game road trip through the Atlantic Division comes to an end Monday, when they visit the Buffalo Sabres. The Sabres are at the bottom of the league with just 21 points but are 3-0-1 in their last four home games. The Coyotes are 4-1-2 against the Atlantic but 1-1-1 on this road swing and sit fifth in the Pacific Division despite having 44 points.
Ryan Miller has been hot this month, posting a 1.99 goals-against average and .938 save percentage in five starts. Mike Smith is expected to make his sixth straight start for Phoenix after showing improvement in his last four. The Coyotes were limited to one goal per game during a three-game winless streak before scoring four on Saturday, while Buffalo has netted a league-worst 64 goals.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, FSN Arizona Plus (Phoenix), MSG (Buffalo)
ABOUT THE COYOTES (19-10-6): Captain Shane Doan has missed seven games with Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever but slowly is getting better. Defenseman Zbynek Michalek aggravated a hip injury in Tuesday’s loss to Montreal and is week-to-week. Antoine Vermette has six goals in December after recording a hat trick Saturday against Ottawa, the team that drafted him.
ABOUT THE SABRES (9-24-3): Leading scorer Cody Hodgson is expected to miss his second game with an upper-body injury suffered while blocking a shot Thursday. No Buffalo player has more than five points in eight games this month. Defenseman Jamie McBain is averaging over 20 minutes of ice time for the first time since his rookie season with Carolina and has notched two assists in his last five games.
OVERTIME
1. The Sabres are 9-for-61 on home power-play opportunities.
2. Phoenix F Mikkel Boedker has registered 18 of his 24 points on the road. He has recorded a goal and two assists on this trek.
3. Buffalo has won five of its last six meetings with Phoenix.