Sabres at Coyotes
While the majority of the league's teams are either jockeying for postseason position or keeping alive their faint playoff hopes, the Buffalo Sabres and Arizona Coyotes very well could have a different target in mind. League-worst Buffalo looks to snap a five-game skid (0-4-1) on Monday as it wraps up its two-game season series with Arizona, which is a staggering 1-14-2 in its last 17 home contests. With both clubs long eliminated from postseason consideration, the only remaining goal could be bettering their draft position with consensus top picks Connor McDavid and Jack Eichel headlining the festivities in June.
The first meeting between the two struggling clubs saw a large segment of fans at First Niagara Center openly rooting for the visiting team and ultimately cheering on Sam Gagner's overtime goal. "I've always spoken extremely high of our fans," Sabres defenseman Mike Weber said after the Coyotes' 4-3 win on Thursday. "I don't even know if disappointed is the word." Arizona is coming home after dropping a 3-2 decision at Pittsburgh on Saturday to end a 2-1-0 road trip.
TV: 10 p.m. ET, MSG (Buffalo), FSN Plus Arizona
ABOUT THE SABRES (20-47-8): Defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen scored in the first meeting with the Coyotes and recorded a tally and an assist in Buffalo's 5-3 setback to Colorado on Saturday. The Sabres flew to Arizona on Sunday, with coach Ted Nolan telling the Buffalo News he expects the home crowd to support the Coyotes. "I don't think you'll have the opposition crowd cheering for us when we score," Nolan said. "I think it's just the hype of the situation that people get caught up into, but we'll forget about that one."
ABOUT THE COYOTES (23-45-8): Mike Smith saw his bid for his first three-game winning streak go by the boards despite turning aside 43 shots against the Penguins. Smith's horrific season is nearing epic proportions, as his 38 regulation defeats are only three shy of Marc Denis' tally for Columbus during the 2003-03 season. Captain Shane Doan was remorseful after administering a hit that sent Pittsburgh defenseman Kris Letang to the hospital. "You never want to see that, so you feel awful as a player when something like that happens," Doan said.
OVERTIME
1. Buffalo C Tyler Ennis, who leads the team with 19 goals and 42 points, participated in a light skate on Sunday and could return versus Arizona.
2. Coyotes D Oliver Ekman-Larsson has collected four goals and three assists in his last six games.
3. The team with the worst overall record will be guaranteed to secure one of the top two picks in the upcoming draft, which are expected to be McDavid of the Ontario Hockey League's Erie Otters and Eichel of Boston University.