Sabres at Senators
The Buffalo Sabres look to avoid heading into the All-Star break on a four-game losing streak when they visit the Atlantic Division-rival Ottawa Senators on Tuesday. Buffalo won four of five contests prior to its current skid, which reached three games with Monday's 6-3 setback against the Rangers in New York.
The Sabres were able to take a positive out of the defeat, however, as Zemgus Girgensons returned from a four-game injury absence and scored two goals after recording only three over his first 40 contests. Ottawa is wrapping up a three-game homestand against teams from the State of New York that saw it lose to the Islanders before posting a shutout versus the Rangers. Mike Hoffman has tallied in two of his last three games to raise his team-leading total to 22 goals and is coming off his first multi-point performance since notching three on Dec. 14 against Los Angeles. The Senators and Sabres have not met since Oct. 8, when Kyle Turris scored twice in Ottawa's 3-1 road triumph.
TV: 7:30 p.m. ET; MSG Buffalo, Bell TV (Buffalo); TSN5, RDS2 (Ottawa)
ABOUT THE SABRES (19-26-4): Brian Gionta's chances of recording his first 20-goal season since 2010-11 are not looking good, even though the 37-year-old ended a five-game drought Monday. The veteran has netted only six tallies in 46 contests, with three coming over his last 21 games. Rookie Jack Eichel notched a pair of assists against the Rangers for his second two-point effort in four contests and pulled within eight points of Ryan O'Reilly (40) for the team lead.
ABOUT THE SENATORS (23-20-6): Ottawa are last in the league on the penalty kill at 75.6 percent, but it continues to help make up for its deficiencies by turning on the offense. The Senators have scored an NHL-high 10 short-handed goals, with Jean-Gabriel Pageau accounting for five - also tops in the league. Bobby Ryan has been a force of late, tallying in four of the five games during his point streak.
OVERTIME
1. Sabres G Robin Lehner is expected to start against his former team after Chad Johnson got the call versus the Rangers.
2. Turris, who is mired in a 15-game goal-scoring drought, has missed the last three contests with a lower-body injury.
3. Buffalo D Josh Gorges has been sidelined for two contests with an upper-body injury and is day-to-day.