Devils at Sabres
The New Jersey Devils look to bounce back from one of their worst performances of the season when they visit the improving Buffalo Sabres on Tuesday. The Devils must build another streak after seeing their five-game point run (3-0-2) come to an end with a 4-0 loss to the Metropolitan Division-rival New York Islanders on Sunday.
“Probably the first game all year where I felt towards the end of the game, we just didn’t have a chance to get back in it or tie it,” New Jersey goaltender Cory Schneider told the Newark Star-Ledger. The Devils will try to make it a brief bump in the road as they take on the Sabres, who have defeated two of the hottest teams in the league in their last two games. Ryan O’Reilly scored in each contest to extend his point streak to eight games as Buffalo posted an overtime win on Saturday over Los Angeles, which had won six in a row, and ended Detroit’s 13-game run without a regulation loss two nights later. The Sabres have won five of its last seven games against the Metropolitan Division.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, MSG Plus2 (New Jersey), MSG, BELL TV (Buffalo)
ABOUT THE DEVILS (15-11-4): Adam Henrique, who shares the team lead in goals with Kyle Palmieri, reportedly was back at practice Monday after missing the last two games with a lower-body injury. Palmieri has posted six goals in his last eight games to match Henrique with 13 and Mike Cammalleri tops the club with 30 points but has been blanked in the last three games. Veteran Patrik Elias has registered one goal and four assists in 10 games since returning from injured reserve.
ABOUT THE SABRES (13-15-3): O’Reilly has collected 11 points during his streak and leads the team with 28 while defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen is next with 23 after recording three goals and two assists over his last three games. Buffalo continues to show progress on the offensive end and needs more players to chip in such as Matt Moulson, who has gone a career-high 19 contests without a goal. Linus Ullmark could start against New Jersey as Chad Johnson made 32 saves in Monday's win.
OVERTIME
1. The Devils have won the last four meetings, including a 4-3 triumph at Buffalo on Oct. 24.
2. Buffalo’s 19-year-old rookie C Jack Eichel is second on the Sabres with nine goals and leads them with 99 shots.
3. New Jersey RW Lee Stempniak already has notched 23 points in the first 30 games after finishing with 28 in 71 contests with the New York Rangers and Winnipeg last season.