Preview: Streaking Sabres strive for nine

Game 24

Buffalo Sabres (15-6-2) vs Detroit Red Wings (10-10-2)

Season Series: 0-0

Puck Drop: 7:00 p.m. | Little Caesars Arena | Detroit, MI

TV: MSG-B

Radio: WGR 550

SB Nation Red Wings Blog: Wingin it in Motown

Know Your Opponent

Detroit Red Wings

Record: (10-10-2) | 22 points

Last 10: 4-6-1

Division Ranking: 6th in the Atlantic Division

Conference Ranking: 12th in the Eastern Conference

PP: 13th

PK: 5th

What to Watch

1. Nine in a row?

After Friday night’s thrilling overtime win for the Sabres that saw Jeff Skinner notch a pair of goals, including the game-winner, Buffalo goes for their ninth consecutive win tonight. It’s their first meeting of the season against the Red Wings, who fell to the Capitals last night by a score of 3-1.

2. Skinner on a roll

Jeff Skinner’s two goals last night give him 17 on the season now, which ties him with Boston’s David Pastrnak for the league lead. Overall, Skinner is on a three-game point streak, with three goals and an assist in that stretch. Since the Sabres’ winning streak began on November 8, Skinner has nine points.

3. Penalty-killing powers

Both teams in tonight’s game are finding success on the penalty kill this season. The Sabres have killed 20 of 22 penalties against in the last ten games. Meanwhile, as previously stated, the Red Wings are fifth in the league in penalty kill - so perhaps don’t expect much action on the power play tonight.

4. Score first, score early

The Sabres’ winning streak has largely been filled with Buffalo comebacks, but when the Sabres do score first this season, good things happen - they’re 10-0-2 in that situation. After Friday night’s overtime win, the Sabres were just one of four teams in the NHL to earn at least a point in every game in which they opened the scoring.

Buffalo Sabres Projected Lineup

Forwards

Jeff Skinner - Jack Eichel - Jason Pominville

Conor Sheary - Casey Mittelstadt- Kyle Okposo

Tage Thompson - Vladimir Sobotka - Sam Reinhart

Zemgus Girgensons - Johan Larsson - Evan Rodrigues

Defense

Jake McCabe - Rasmus Ristolainen

Rasmus Dahlin - Zach Bogosian

Marco Scandella - Casey Nelson

Starting Goaltender: Linus Ullmark

Detroit Red Wings Projected Lineup

Forwards

Anthony Mantha- Dylan Larkin - Justin Abdelkaer

Andreas Athanasiou - Frans Nielsen - Gustav Nyquist

Michael Rasmussen- Luke Glendening- Tyler Bertuzzi

Thomas Vanek - Jacob de la Rose - Christoffer Ehn

Defense

Trevor Daley - Mike Green

Danny DeKeyser - Nick Jensen

Niklas Kronwall - Dennis Cholowski

Starting Goalie: Jonathan Bernier (projected)