Ducks at Sabres
The Buffalo Sabres continue to gain confidence as they try to remain relevant in the playoff picture, and move forward with their process by hosting the struggling Anaheim Ducks on Thursday. Buffalo took a big step toward that end by erasing a 4-1 deficit with three goals in a span of 3:28 of the third period Tuesday to defeat the San Jose Sharks 5-4 on Evander Kane's overtime goal - his second of the game - for its second victory in the last six contests (2-3-1).
"That's probably the worst we've played and gotten a win, but in saying that, we never gave up and it's a huge win for us," Kyle Okposo, who leads the Sabres with 17 goals after recording the tying tally Tuesday, told reporters. "We've got to get two points. We've been saying it for a couple months, we've got to find ways to win games and I guess that's one of the ways.'' Buffalo sits in a three-way tie with Detroit and Tampa Bay for the fewest points in the Eastern Conference but is six out of third place in the Atlantic Division and five out of a wild-card spot. Anaheim lost the first three contests of its season long-tying six-game road trip - the latest a 4-1 setback to the New York Rangers on Tuesday - and is tied for second with Edmonton, four points behind San Jose and seven clear of the Calgary Flames in the Pacific. Perhaps the Ducks are rounding into a better outcome as they recorded a season-high 44 shots Tuesday - five more than they registered in the previous two games combined.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, Prime Ticket (Anaheim), MSG Buffalo
ABOUT THE DUCKS (28-17-10): Jakob Silfverberg (16 goals, 34 points), who could become a Vegas Golden Knight in June's expansion draft, registered three goals and two assists in the last four games since returning from a concussion. The top point-producing line of captain Ryan Getzlaf (eight goals, 39 points), Corey Perry (nine, 36) and Rickard Rakell (21, 30) recorded only Getzlaf's goal Saturday in Tampa Bay in the last three games. Defenseman Sami Vatanen, who is pointless in his last nine games, missed the past two contests with a lower-body injury and is questionable to play Thursday.
ABOUT THE SABRES (22-21-10): Okposo is one of seven players with 11 or more goals and Marcus Foligno's next one gives him 10 as Buffalo continues to receive consistent scoring from throughout the lineup. Jack Eichel (25 points) recorded 12 goals in 32 games but hasn't scored in his last six contests although he contributed four assists in the last three games. Defenseman Zach Bogosian (20:25 per game ice time, minus-13 rating) missed his third straight game Tuesday (abdomen) and is questionable to play Thursday while fellow blueliner Rasmus Ristolainen boasts a team-high 27 assists after recording one in two of the last three contests.
OVERTIME
1. The Sabres haven't lost in regulation this season when Eichel or C Ryan O'Reilly (11 goals, 33 points) scores.
2. Anaheim's penalty-killing unit, fifth in the NHL at 84.4 percent, is 25-for-26 over the last seven games.
3. Buffalo, which won its last four against the Pacific and is 5-1-1 versus the division this season, is 12-1-3 in its last 16 home games against the West.