Preview: Sabres return home, looking to get back to winning ways

Game 29

Buffalo Sabres (17-8-3) vs Toronto Maple Leafs (19-8-0)

Puck Drop: 7:30 PM | Keybank Center | Buffalo, NY

TV: MSG-B

Radio: WGR 550

SB Nation Maple Leafs Blog: Pension Plan Puppets

Know Your Opponent

Toronto Maple Leafs

Record: (19-8-0) | 38 PTS

Last 10: 8-2-0

Division Ranking: 2nd in the Atlantic Division

Conference Ranking: 2nd in the Eastern Conference

PP: 3rd (29.0%)

PK: 16th (75.1%)

What to Watch

1. Reinhart Stays Hot

Despite the Sabres inability to put together a full 60-minute effort as of late, Sam Reinhart has at least done his part.

Reinhart has 5 points (4 goals, 1 assist) in his last three games.

Coming into Tuesday night’s game against Toronto, Reinhart has a three-game goal scoring streak. Buffalo will need Reinhart to stay hot if they want a chance against a strong Maple Leafs squad.

2. Calling on Jack

Jack Eichel finds himself in another semi-scoring slump.

This time, Eichel has not scored in the Sabres last seven games, despite putting up 29 combined shots in those games. Eichel’s season shooting percentage is down to 4.3%.

Going back further, Eichel has only scored once in the last 16 games. The offense will need Eichel to figure out his shot sooner or later, if they plan on getting hot again.

3. Good Injury News?

Conor Sheary did participate in practice this week and was close to a return.

Jason Pominville himself said that a return to the lineup Tuesday night was possible.

If the Sabres get these two back in the lineup, one can only hope that good news on the injury front could provide a much-needed shot in the arm.

Buffalo Sabres

Forwards

Jeff Skinner - Jack Eichel - Sam Reinhart

Conor Sheary - Casey Mittelstadt - Kyle Okposo

Tage Thompson - 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: Linus Ullmark

Toronto Maple Leafs

Forwards

Zach Hyman - John Tavares - Mitch Marner

Patrick Marleau - Auston Matthews - Kasperi Kapanen

Andreas Johnsson - Nazem Kadri - Connor Brown

Tyler Ennis - Frederik Gauthier - Par Lindholm

Defense

Morgan Reilly - Ron Hainsey

Jake Gardiner - Nikita Zaitsev

Travis Dermott - Igor Ozhiganov

Starting Goaltender: Frederik Andersen