Wild at Sabres
Coming off a lopsided victory for their first win away from home, the Minnesota Wild will wrap up a four-game road trip when they visit the Buffalo Sabres on Thursday night. Minnesota is coming off a dominating 5-0 win at Boston and has won seven of nine trips to Buffalo, including the past three.
Devan Dubnyk notched his 20th career shutout and 11th with the Wild on Tuesday -- his first blanking with Minnesota was a 7-0 victory at Buffalo on Jan. 15, 2014, in his debut with the club. The Wild are receiving outstanding balance, with an NHL-leading 16 players scoring at least one goal. The Sabres let what appeared to be a sure two points slip away, squandering a three-goal lead and allowing two tallies in the final three minutes of regulation in a 4-3 shootout loss at Philadelphia on Tuesday. "It's on us to be better," Buffalo captain Brian Gionta said. "We've got to find a way to go into the third and get a win."
TV: 7 p.m. ET, FSN North (Minnesota), MSG (Buffalo)
ABOUT THE WILD (4-2-1): Minnesota continued its dominance in the middle 20 minutes by scoring four times against Boston to boost its total to an NHL-best 15 second-period goals. Rookie Joel Eriksson Ek set up three goals against the Bruins to become the first teenager in franchise history to notch three assists in one game. “I like giving guys chances," coach Bruce Boudreau said. “Give them the opportunity, put them in a position to succeed and let’s see where it goes from there.”
ABOUT THE SABRES (1-2-2): Despite the late fold in Philadelphia, Buffalo is encouraged by the improved play of defenseman Dmitry Kulikov, who missed the season opener and much of the preseason with a tailbone injury sustained at the World Cup of Hockey. Coach Dan Bylsma had Kulikov playing alongside Zach Bogosian on the second defense pairing while handling the point on the No. 2 power play. "Each game he’s earned more ice time, and frankly we need him to be on the ice more,” Bylsma said.
OVERTIME
1. Minnesota own's the league's second-ranked penalty-killing unit, snuffing out 20 of 21 chances.
2. Sabres No. 1 G Robin Lehner missed Tuesday's game and Wednesday's practice due to the flu.
3. Wild D Jared Spurgeon and F Erik Haula, who have missed the past three games, are questionable for Thursday.