Sabres at Red Wings
Two teams sitting outside the playoff picture in the Atlantic Division but hoping for a spark to ignite a run meet Tuesday, when the Buffalo Sabres visit the Detroit Red Wings. The last-place Sabres are winless in four contests (0-2-2) and sit near the bottom of the league in scoring (2.1 goals per game) while Detroit is just two points better and still searching for the form that led to an early six-game winning streak.
The Red Wings enjoyed the holiday break after posting a 4-3 shootout victory at Florida on Friday and could get back forwards Darren Helm and Justin Abdelkader this week from a crowded injury list. “We seem to have a good game and then not be very good,” Red Wings forward Thomas Vanek told the Detroit Free Press. “It’s good to have a pretty good game, two points, take a few days off mentally and then we’ve got to put a run together.” Buffalo has scored a total of six goals during its slide and dropped eight of its last nine meetings with the Red Wings, including a 2-1 shootout setback on Nov. 23. Defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen has been the most dependable scoring threat for the Sabres of late, notching 14 points in his last 12 games to take over the team lead with 23.
TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, MSG (Buffalo), FSN Detroit
ABOUT THE SABRES (12-13-8): Buffalo has been good on the power play this season, ranking fourth in the NHL at 22.3 percent, but is struggling at 5-on-5 with just 44 goals - second-fewest in the league – while sitting last in penalty-killing (74.3). Kyle Okposo has scored a team-high nine goals and is just behind Ristolainen with 22 points, but the right wing has been kept off the scoresheet in four straight games. Sam Reinhart has warmed up of late with four points in his last three contests, but Ryan O’Reilly has managed just one in a five-game span.
ABOUT THE RED WINGS (15-15-4): Jared Coreau got the start in net in the victory over Florida with Jimmy Howard injured and Petr Mrazek (three or more goals allowed in five straight games) struggling. “(Coreau) is coming here to compete, and Jared has lots of belief in his ability, and Petr’s got lots of belief in his ability,” coach Jeff Blashill told reporters. “Competition is an excellent thing.” Captain Henrik Zetterberg tops the team in assists (17) and points (23) while Dylan Larkin leads the Red Wings with 10 goals, but he has managed to help set up just three tallies.
OVERTIME
1. Detroit D Mike Green, who is tied for second on the team with 18 points, is questionable with a lower-body injury.
2. Buffalo Gs Anders Nilsson and Robin Lehner have combined to rank sixth in the league with a .919 save percentage.
3. The Red Wings are 0-for-26 on the power play over their the last six games and 1-for-37 in 11 contests this month.