Preview: Sabres begin a tough back to back in Nashville

Game 28

Buffalo Sabres (17-7-3) vs Nashville Predators (18-8-1)

Puck Drop: 8:00 PM | Bridgestone Arena | Nashville, TN

TV: MSG-B

Radio: WGR 550

SB Nation Predators Blog: On the Forecheck

Know Your Opponent

Nashville Predators

Record: (18-8-1) | 37 PTS

Last 10: 5-5-0

Division Ranking: 1st in the Central Division

Conference Ranking: 1st in the Western Conference

PP: 28th (15.0%)

PK: T-12th (80.2%)

What to Watch

1. Injuries galore

Both teams will come into tonight down a few players. The Sabres will be without Jake McCabe, Marco Scandella, Jason Pominville, and Conor Sheary.

The Predators will be missing PK Subban, Filip Forsberg, Kyle Turris, and Viktor Arvidsson.

2. Streaking...the wrong way

The Sabres and Predators both come into tonight struggling in their recent games. After a 10-game winning streak the Sabres have lost two straight. Meanwhile, the Predators come into tonight as winners in two of their last five games.

3. Promotion

After making his NHL debut on Friday against the Florida Panthers, Lawrence Pilut will be thrown into the fire tonight. He’ll play on the top four on a pairing with Rasmus Ristolainen. It’ll be a nice test for the 22-year-old Swede.

Buffalo Sabres

Forwards

Jeff Skinner - Jack Eichel - Sam Reinhart

Tage Thompson - Casey Mittelstadt - Kyle Okposo

Remi Elie - Evan Rodrigues - Vladimir Sobotka

Zemgus Girgensons - Johan Larsson - Patrik Berglund

Defense

Rasmus Dahlin - Zach Bogosian

Lawrence Pilut - Rasmus Ristolainen

Nathan Beaulieu - Casey Nelson

Starting Goaltender: Carter Hutton

Nashville Predators

Forwards

Ryan Hartman - Ryan Johansen - Kevin Fiala

Eeli Tolvanen - Calle Jarnkrok - Craig Smith

Miika Salomaki - Colton Sissons - Austin Watson

Frederick Gaudreau - Nick Bonino - Rocco Grimaldi

Defense

Roman Josi - Ryan Ellis

Dan Hamhuis - Mattias Ekholm

Matt Irwin - Yannick Weber

Starting Goaltender: Pekka Rinne