Sabres at Blue Jackets
The Columbus Blue Jackets hope to regain their scoring touch as they continue their quest for a division crown Tuesday, when they host the Buffalo Sabres. Columbus, which trails Washington by three points for first place in the Metropolitan with eight games remaining, has produced a total of four goals over its last three contests - going 1-1-1 in that span.
Cam Atkinson leads the Blue Jackets with a career-high 33 goals but has recorded only one in his last six contests. Buffalo is on the verge of missing the playoffs for the sixth consecutive season despite winning four of its last five games. The Sabres concluded a 2-1-0 homestand Monday with a 4-2 triumph over Florida as captain Brian Gionta celebrated his 1,000th career game by scoring the winning goal. Jack Eichel leads Buffalo with 55 points after registering five in his last two contests.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, MSG (Buffalo), FSN Ohio (Columbus)
ABOUT THE SABRES (32-32-12): Gionta is the 312th player to appear in 1,000 NHL games but just the 43rd born in the United States. The 38-year-old is the 10th to hit the milestone as a member of the Sabres and first since Mike Grier accomplished the feat on Nov. 3, 2010. Evander Kane leads the team with 26 goals but has scored only one in his last seven contests.
ABOUT THE BLUE JACKETS (48-19-7): Sergei Bobrovsky, who was named Columbus' nominee for the Bill Masterton Trophy, is 9-0-2 in his last 11 starts. The 28-year-old Russian has allowed fewer than two goals eight times in that span, posting four of his career-high seven shutouts along the way. Oliver Bjorkstrand is doubtful to face Buffalo as he has missed two games with an undisclosed injury and did not participate in practice on Monday.
OVERTIME
1. Sabres C Ryan O'Reilly is one away from reaching the 20-goal plateau for the second straight season and third in his career.
2. Columbus is 8-0-0 at home on Tuesdays this season.
3. The teams split a home-and-home series earlier this month, with each winning in its own building.