Sabres at Blue Jackets
The Columbus Blue Jackets are 11 points out of a playoff spot with 24 games to play but they continue to harbor postseason aspirations as they prepare to kick off a three-game homestand against the Buffalo Sabres on Tuesday. The Blue Jackets are coming off a 2-2-1 road trip that culminated with shootout loss to the New York Rangers after they erased a three-goal deficit. Columbus has won only 12 times at home - second fewest in the Eastern Conference to Buffalo.
Although the Sabres have dropped 21 of their last 24 games (3-19-2), Blue Jackets coach Todd Richards is not looking past the league's worst team. “We did some good things on this trip, played some good hockey,” Richards said. “Now we have to do that same thing at home. We can’t think because we’re at home it’s going to be easy." Buffalo, which is coming off a 2-1 shootout loss to NHL-best Nashville, has posted a league-low six wins on the road.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, MSG (Buffalo), FSN Ohio (Columbus)
ABOUT THE SABRES (17-38-5): Michal Neuvirth was elevated to the No. 1 goaltender after Buffalo traded Jhonas Enroth to Dallas and he has played spectacularly even though the record doesn't show it. Neuvirth has made five starts since Enroth's departure and won only once (1-2-2) despite turning aside 175 of 184 shots - a staggering .951 save percentage. “He’s played excellent for us,” Sabres captain Brian Gionta said. “In spurts this year he’s showed that dominance. Since that trade, he’s really taken off and owned it.”
ABOUT THE BLUE JACKETS (26-28-4): Rookie Marko Dano has elevated his game in his second stint with Columbus, collecting a goal and an assist Sunday to give him three points in four games since his recall from the minors. "He’s giving us energy,” linemate Artem Anisimov said of Dano. “That’s what he’s doing. He’s playing hard. He’s playing smart. He’s really given us some energy, and it’s good ... the line is good.” All-Star Nick Foligno notched two assists in Sunday's loss to give him 10 points in his last eight games.
OVERTIME
1. The Blue Jackets have won four of five meetings, including a 3-1 win at Buffalo in the season opener.
2. Buffalo has been limited to one goal in five of the last six games.
3. Columbus is 1-for-19 on the power play over the past nine games while the Sabres are 0-for-12 in their last four.