⏰ 3 p.m. ? MSG ? WGR550
The Sabres came away with two points yesterday against the Detroit Red Wings with a 3-1 win in the first game of a weekend back-to-back, improving to 2-1-1 on this 7-game home stand. They face off this afternoon against the Central Division-leading Winnipeg Jets looking to gain an edge in the Wild Card race in the East.
Season series: This is the second and final time these two teams will meet this season, the first coming back in November when the Sabres were in the middle of their 10-game winning streak. Buffalo was able to hold the Jets to just a single goal and take them to a shootout, where it was Conor Sheary who sealed the 2-1 shootout win for the blue and gold.
Buffalo notes: The Sabres managed to pull off a win in what many considered to be a must-win game yesterday afternoon against the Red Wings, were they to stay neck and neck with teams competing for a Wild Card spot.
Jack Eichel registered an assist and continues to lead the team in points, now with 58. The Sabres also got some much needed secondary scoring to pull off the win, from the likes of Casey Mittelstadt (1G), Kyle Okposo (1G), and Conor Sheary (1G).
Linus Ullmark stopped 28 of 29 shots in net to give the Sabres the win. Carter Hutton is expected to get the nod for today’s tilt, looking to keep the high-powered Jets offense at bay and help the Sabres win two games in a row for the first time since mid-December.
Winnipeg notes: The Jets are also playing in the second half of a back-to-back, falling yesterday on the road to the Ottawa Senators by a score of 5-2. Winnipeg is 0-2-1 in their last 3 games, and aims to break the skid today against the Sabres.
Jets goal-scoring leader Mark Scheifele comes into today’s matchup having scored 14 points in his last 14 games (5 goals, 9 assists), and looks to continue that tear after being held off the board yesterday by the Sens.
Connor Hellebuyck is expected to go for the Jets between the pipes, as Laurent Brossoit manned the net in yesterday’s loss. Hellebuyck is 24-15-2 this year with a 2.91 GAA and .910 SV%.