Main storyline: The Buffalo Sabres (22-47-8) are on the homestretch of the 2014-15 season with five games left to go. On Friday, the Chicago Blackhawks (47-24-6) are in Buffalo to pay its one and only visit this season to the First Niagara Center.
Season series: The Sabres and Blackhawks have only met up one other time this season, and it was a 6-2 win for the Blackhawks on home-ice on October 11, 2014. Chicago and Buffalo were tied 2-2 heading into the third period when the Hawks got four unanswered goals to take over the game and beat the Sabres. Buffalo has not won against the Blackhawks since December 11, 2009 when the Sabres won 2-1 on home-ice against a Blackhawks team that went on to win the Stanley Cup later in the season.
Where they stand: Buffalo still currently sits in 30th place in the NHL standings, but only remain two points ahead the Arizona Coyotes in the race for 30th. Arizona is in San Jose Sharks on Friday to play the Sharks in the first game of a home-and-home with the Sharks. For the Blackhawks, the team sits third in the Central Division with 100 points, and are looking for its fourth straight win on Friday and move past the St. Louis Blues in the Central.
Recent performance: The Sabres are looking to extend its winning streak to three games following Wednesday’s win against the Toronto Maple Leafs at the First Niagara Center. The Sabres were down 3-1 in the second period, but got a second period goal from Cody Hodgson to cut the deficit to one. In the third period, Matt Moulson got a powerplay goal to tie game, then Matt Ellis scored a beautiful goal on Jonathan Bernier to give the Sabres the lead. Anders Lindback turned aside 24 of 27 shots faced and got the win over the division rival Leafs. The Blackhawks are coming off of a 3-1 win on Thursday night at home against the Vancouver Canucks. The game was tied 1-1 heading into the third period when goals from captain Jonathan Toews and Marcus Kruger put Chicago in front and in the winning circle.
Buffalo notes: The Sabres are fighting for every game all the way to the end of the regular season schedule which will conclude next Saturday at home against the Penguins. Over the past few games, the Sabres have been trying to shoot the puck more and throw more pucks towards the opposition’s net. In the past three games, Buffalo is a plus-30 Corsi, and have had significant chances to score in the games against the Avalanche, Coyotes and Leafs. Rasmus Ristolainen missed Wednesday’s game against the Leafs due to illness, but is feeling much better and will return to the lineup on Friday. One player who could be out due to illness is forward Matt Moulson. For that reason, the Sabres recalled forward Tim Schaller once again from the Rochester Americans. Anders Lindback will get the start once again in net for the Sabres, while Andrey Makarov is slated to get his first career start on Saturday against the New York Islanders.
Chicago notes: For the Blackhawks, the team is heading back to the postseason as Chicago clinched a playoff berth in the Western Conference. For Chicago, it will be its seventh straight appearance in the postseason. The focus for the Blackhawks for its final few games will be to improve its seed in the division, and to also get healthy. The player specifically that needs to get healthy is Buffalo native Patrick Kane, who has been out since February 24 with a broken collarbone. Kane skated with his team for the first time since the injury on Thursday, and is expected to be out until the second round of the playoffs if the team makes it that far. Chicago’s lineup is not expected to change much from Thursday’s game against the Canucks, but the only change may be the goaltender in net. Scott Darling is expected to start in net for the Blackhawks, who has been excellent for Chicago since being recalled from Rockford earlier in the year.
Conclusion: Both teams look to extend its winning streaks as the Sabres look to continue its climb out of the basement of the NHL standings, while the Blackhawks look to improve its spot in the standings. Opening face-off is scheduled for 7pm, and the game can be seen on MSG Network.