DATE: FRIDAY
MARCH 1ST
TIME: 7:00
PLACE: KEYBANK
CENTER
WHERE: BUFFALO
The Buffalo Sabres have dropped six of their last seven
outings (1-5-1) to see their once-promising postseason aspirations grow dimmer
by the day. The Sabres look to get back on track and defeat the Pittsburgh
Penguins for the second time this season when the clubs meet on Friday at
KeyBank Center in Buffalo.
"I think it's just disappointing because it's a game of mistakes, and
right now we are making more mistakes than any team," Buffalo coach Phil
Housley said on the heels of Tuesday's 3-2 setback to Philadelphia. Captain
Jack Eichel scored versus the Flyers to boost his point streak to six games
(four goals, four assists) heading into the tilt with Pittsburgh, against which
he tallied 45 seconds into overtime in a 5-4 win on Nov. 19. The contest marked
the Sabres' second victory in the last 11 encounters with the Penguins, who
began their three-game road trip with a 5-2 triumph over Columbus on Tuesday.
Superstar captain Sidney Crosby collected a goal and an assist in his second
consecutive contests to lift his point total to 16 (four goals, 12 assists) in
his last nine contests.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, AT&T SportsNet-Pittsburgh, Sportsnet, MSG-B
(Buffalo)
ABOUT THE PENGUINS (33-22-8): Chad Ruhwedel sustained an
arm/shoulder injury versus the Blue Jackets to join fellow defensemen Kris
Letang (upper body), Brian Dumoulin (concussion) and Olli Maatta (upper body)
as well as forward Bryan Rust (lower body) on the sideline. "We just have
to have a next-man-up mentality," Coach Mike Sullivan said. "That's
how we've always approached it. We believe we have depth in our organization.
We have capable people." Pittsburgh is hoping Zach Trotman and Erik Gudbranson
are two of those "capable people," with the first blue-liner in line
to play in his second NHL contest this season while the latter will make his
debut with the club after being acquired from Vancouver prior to the NHL trade
deadline on Monday.
ABOUT THE SABRES (29-26-8): Jeff Skinner, who set up defenseman
Zach Bogosian's second-period goal against the Penguins, has an assist in three
straight games and four of his last five. Although Carter Hutton turned aside
36 shots to defeat Pittsburgh in the first meeting, the goaltender's
availability for the rematch is in question after he tweaked an existing
lower-body injury during Thursday's practice. The 33-year-old left the session
as a precaution and will be evaluated prior to Friday's contest, per Housley.
OVERTIME
1. Pittsburgh C Evgeni Malkin has 27 points (nine goals, 18 assists) in his
last 21 games.
2. Sabres C Casey Mittlestadt, who scored in the first meeting with the
Penguins, snapped a four-game goal drought on Tuesday.
3. Pittsburgh C Jake Guentzel, who scored in the first encounter with Buffalo,
netted just five of his team-leading 29 goals in February.
PREDICTION: Sabres 5, Penguins 4
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