BUFFALO, N.Y. — The Buffalo Sabres host the Colorado Avalanche after the Sabres took down the Detroit Red Wings 5-4 in a shootout.
Buffalo is 9-12-1 overall and 5-7-1 at home. The Sabres have scored 81 total goals (3.7 per game) to rank seventh in NHL play. Colorado is 12-7-1 overall and 7-4-0 in road games. The Avalanche have gone 5-3-0 when they commit fewer penalties than their opponent.
The matchup Thursday is the third time these teams meet this season. The Avalanche won 5-3 in the last matchup.
TOP PERFORMERS:
Jeff Skinner has 10 goals and 12 assists for the Sabres. Tage Thompson has six goals and seven assists over the last 10 games.
Nathan MacKinnon has six goals and 22 assists for the Avalanche. Mikko Rantanen has scored six goals with eight assists over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES:
Sabres: 3-6-1, averaging 3.5 goals, 5.8 assists, 4.6 penalties and 9.5 penalty minutes while giving up 3.9 goals per game.
Avalanche: 7-3-0, averaging 3.2 goals, 5.5 assists, 3.4 penalties and 7.7 penalty minutes while giving up 2.2 goals per game.
INJURIES:
Sabres: Jacob Bryson: out (undisclosed), Eric Comrie: out (undisclosed), Ilya Lyubushkin: out (undisclosed).
Avalanche: Valeri Nichushkin: out (ankle), Evan Rodrigues: out (lower body), Kurtis MacDermid: out (lower-body), Darren Helm: out (undisclosed), Gabriel Landeskog: out (knee), Bowen Byram: out (undisclosed), Shane Bowers: out (upper-body).
