Senators at Sabres
The Ottawa Senators stumbled out of the Christmas break by losing four consecutive one-goal decisions, but they have regained their footing heading into the finale of a three-game road trip at the Buffalo Sabres on Saturday night. Ottawa is 7-2-2 over its last 11 games and holds down second place in the Atlantic Division.
The Senators coughed up a two-goal lead in a 6-5 loss at Florida on Tuesday but rebounded two nights later with a 5-2 victory at Tampa Bay. "Right now, the league is so close that you need to try and keep separation with the other guys, especially with divisional teams," coach Guy Boucher said. Buffalo's winless drought reached three games (0-2-1) with Thursday's 2-1 overtime loss to the New York Rangers and is eight points out of the second wild card with two games in hand. "We can’t settle for overtime losses. We’ve got to get W’s,” Sabres forward Evander Kane.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, TVAS, Sportsnet (Ottawa), MSG-B (Buffalo)
ABOUT THE SENATORS (27-16-6): Mark Stone scored twice and set up another score in Ottawa's second straight five-goal outburst to move within two tallies of reaching 20 for the third consecutive season. "I think guys are starting to get chemistry with different people," Stone said. "At the start of the year no one could really find that chemistry with each other but we are learning ways to score. It's been a good stretch for us offensively." Goaltender Mike Condon has played in 26 straight games.
ABOUT THE SABRES (20-20-10): Kane, Zemgus Girgensons and Brian Gionta generated plenty of scoring chances, combining for 17 shots on goal but failing to convert to drop the team to 12-5-10 in one-goal games. "We were taking it to them pretty good. I think our line, we were feeling good about what we were doing," Kane said. "It was a tough, tough, tough loss." Already missing Jake McCabe, the Sabres could be without fellow defenseman Zach Bogosian, who was injured in the first period Thursday.
OVERTIME
1. Buffalo has won two of the three meetings this season, with the away team prevailing in each.
2. Senators captain Erik Karlsson has five points in the past two games and 25 in 33 contests versus Buffalo.
3. Sabres C Jack Eichel has four goals and seven points in five games against Ottawa.