Main storyline: The Buffalo Sabres (17-38-5) are back on the road on Tuesday in a matchup of the Foligno brothers as the Sabres take on the Columbus Blue Jackets (26-28-4) at Nationwide Arena.
Season series: This matchup is the second of three between the Sabres and Jackets. The first coming on the season opener in October when the Blue Jackets came into Buffalo and beat the Sabres 3-1. The final game between the two teams will be the second-last game of the season on April 10 in Columbus once again.
Where they stand: With Buffalo’s shootout loss to the Nashville Predators on Sunday, the Sabres not stand five points ahead of the Oilers in the race for 30th place in the NHL. The Oilers are in Minnesota on Tuesday to take on the Wild. The Blue Jackets sit in second-last in the Metropolitan Division, and are sinking in the overall standings to 25th place. Columbus still sits eleven points out of the final wild card spot in the East.
Recent performance: The Sabres took it to the Predators on Sunday by grabbing a point from the NHL’s best team. Tyler Ennis gave Buffalo a 1-0 late in the second period, but Nashville came back to tie the game with a late powerplay goal in the third. Buffalo would force overtime, and eventually a shootout when Filip Forsberg ended the shootout with a goal in the fourth round. It was a similar result for the Blue Jackets on Sunday as Columbus was in the Big Apple to face the Rangers. The Rangers jumped out to a 3-0 on Columbus, but the Blue Jackets would storm back and eventually tie the game 3-3 in the third period. The game would go to a shootout where Rick Nash scored the game-winning goal for the Rangers in the third round of the shootout.
Buffalo notes: It was found out Monday that Nikita Zadorov was late to morning skate on Sunday morning because he overslept. Zadorov apologized to his teammates on Monday morning, but it is still unclear on whether or not he will play against Columbus. Tyson Strachan missed Sunday’s game due to an infection he came down with. His playing status is unclear as well. Mark Pysyk and Jake McCabe were recalled by the Sabres for Sunday’s game and both played pretty well. In Pysyk’s fifth game of the season, he had one shot and two blocked shots in 16:51 of total ice-time. In McCabe’s season debut, he had three hits and a blocked shot in 10-minutes of total ice-time. Both have not been sent back to the Rochester Americans, and both may get another chance to play on Tuesday. Michal Neuvirth was phenomenal in the shootout loss to the Predators by stopping 37 shots of 38 shots faced. Neuvirth is expected to get the start once again for the Sabres in net.
Columbus notes: The 2014-15 campaign for the Blue Jackets has been one full of injuries and under achievements. The Jackets have been without Sergei Bobrovsky for multiple times this season, and most recently with a pulled groin muscle. Bobrovsky is not expected to return against the Sabres, but could be available later this week. Bobrovsky is not the only player the team has been without for a while. Nathan Horton has been out the entire season with a back injury, and could be done for his career in the NHL. Boone Jenner has been out since December with a back injury, but could return some time in the next week or two. Other injuries include Jeremy Morin (accelerated heart rate), Ryan Murray (high ankle sprain) and Dalton Prout (upper-body injury). Anton Forsberg is projected to be the starting goaltender against the Sabres on Tuesday.
Conclusion: Both the Sabres and Jackets could use a huge victory on Tuesday, but which Foligno brother will prevail? Find out when the puck drops at 7pm. The game can be seen on MSG Network.