Sabres at Red Wings
Pavel Datsyuk will make his long-anticipated return to the lineup when the Detroit Red Wings host the league-worst Buffalo Sabres on Friday night. Datsyuk, who has been sidelined since Feb. 27 with a left knee injury and has played in only five games since Jan. 1, will bolster Detroit's bid to make a record 23rd consecutive postseason appearance. The Red Wings have won three in a row and hold a one-point lead over Columbus for the top wild-card slot in the Eastern Conference.
The absence of Datsyuk, along with a number of other injured players, has opened the door for younger players to emerge for Detroit - none more so than Gustav Nyquist. The 24-year-old has been a scoring machine, pumping in 12 goals over the past 10 contests, including the game-winning tally in Wednesday's 3-2 win over Boston that snapped the Bruins' nine-goal road winning streak. The Sabres are coming off a 2-1 loss at St. Louis, their 12th setback in 14 games (2-11-1).
TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, MSG (Buffalo), FSN Plus Detroit
ABOUT THE SABRES (21-46-9): Offensive ineptitude continues to plague the league's lowest-scoring team in Thursday's loss, with Cody Hodgson's power-play goal in the final minute preventing Buffalo from being shut out for the 11th time this season. Still, it marked the ninth time in the past 14 games that the Sabres have been limited to one goal or less. Hodgson added to his career-best total with his 18th goal, eight of which have come with the man advantage.
ABOUT THE RED WINGS (36-26-14): It has hardly been a season to remember for goaltender Jimmy Howard, but he turned in a stellar performance with a 33-save effort to notch his 150th career victory. “It’s a good confidence-booster, not only for myself but I think everyone,” Howard said after Detroit handed Boston its first regulation loss since March 1. “They’re one of the best teams in the league." Howard, who needs one victory to reach 20 wins for the fifth consecutive season, has dominated Buffalo throughout his career with a 4-0-0 record and scintillating 1.12 goals-against average.
OVERTIME
1. Nyquist, who is riding a 10-game point streak, has scored 23 times since Jan. 20 - the most in the league during that span.
2. Hodgson is riding a three-game point streak and has three goals in six games versus Detroit.
3. Datsyuk has seven goals and eight assists in 14 career games against Buffalo.