Bruins at Sabres
The Boston Bruins are struggling to score goals and hold third-period leads during their current tailspin. Boston looks to avoid a season-high fourth straight loss in the finale of its five-game road trip on Friday when they battle the Atlantic Division-rival Buffalo Sabres.
"Right now, it's a frustrating time for our team," coach Claude Julien said after a 3-2 setback to Philadelphia dropped the Bruins to 2-7-1 in their last 10 contests. "Missed opportunities at one end and mistakes at the other, so we've got to turn the tide." Like Wednesday's contest against the Flyers, a third-period lead also went by the boards for Boston in an eventual 6-3 setback to Buffalo on Dec. 26. Former Boston University star Jack Eichel enjoyed a career-high four-point performance by scoring two goals and setting up two others in that contest, but had just one assist on the team's three-game road trip. Jamie McGinn collected a goal and an assist in the previous meeting with the Bruins and also tallied as Buffalo won its second straight contest with a 3-2 victory over Minnesota on Tuesday.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, NESN (Boston), MSG-B (Buffalo), Bell TV
ABOUT THE BRUINS (21-16-5): Loui Eriksson pulled into a tie with fellow forwards Brad Marchand and Patrice Bergeron by scoring his team-leading 15th goal versus Philadelphia and notched a pair of assists in his previous encounter with Buffalo. Bergeron has been held off the scoresheet in two straight and three of his last four contests while Marchand is mired in a 10-game goal drought. Speaking of struggling, Tuukka Rask has dropped five straight decisions (0-4-1) in January and seven of eight overall.
ABOUT THE SABRES (17-22-4): Ryan O'Reilly, who takes a four-game point streak into Friday's tilt versus Boston, had two goals and an assist in last month's meeting to increase his career point total to six in seven games. Buffalo was active on its day off Thursday, recalling Robin Lehner from Rochester of the American Hockey League and sending rookie goaltender Linus Ullmark to the Americans. Lehner has been sidelined since spraining his right ankle in a season-opening loss to Ottawa on Oct. 8.
OVERTIME
1. Boston has scored two goals or fewer in eight of its last 11 games.
2. Buffalo is just 8-13-2 at home this season.
3. The road team has won four of the last five contests.