JK3
Go Easy-Step Lightly-Stay Free
PREVIEW
DEVILS (36-33-4) vs. SABRES (34-34-5)
Head-to-Head
It's been two high-scoring affairs between the Devils and Sabres in the opening two games of the three-game season series. The first game between the two clubs was back on Oct. 27, when New Jersey posted a 5-4 victory. Erik Haula had two goals in the win and Luke Hughes had two assists. On Nov. 25, the Devils put up a dominant performance, with a four-goal first period and held Buffalo to just 12 shots on goal. Friday night will mark the final game between the two clubs this season.
Devils Team Scope:
New Jersey are winners of four of their last five games as they continue to make a push towards the end of the regular season. The Devils have just nine games left and are five points behind the Capitals for the second Wild Card spot and six points behind the Philadelphia Flyers for the third spot in the Metro.
Timo Meier has been a dominant force through the month of March. He leads all NHL players in goals scored with 13 and has a total of 19 points since Mar. 1.
Jesper Bratt and Jack Hughes have both tipped the 70-point scale this season, Bratt currently leads the team with 72 points and Hughes follows closely behind with 71. After his two-goal performance against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Tuesday, Hughes leads the club in goals with 26.
Sabres Team Scope:
The Sabres will be fresh off of a disappointing loss to the Ottawa Senators on Wednesday night. The Senators had built a 4-0 lead on Buffalo by the 8:49 mark of the first period and Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen was pulled from the net after conceding four goals on nine shots.
The Sabres are led in goals this season by JJ Peterka, who has 25, while defenseman Rasmus Dahlin leads the club with 52 points (17g-35a) in 72 games played.
The Sabres currently sit three points behind New Jersey and eight points out of the second Wild Card spot.
By the Numbers:
Including Meier's 19 points (13g-6a) in the 14 games in March, Jack Hughes has 16 points in that same span (7g-9a), Nico Hischier has 15 points (4g-11a), while Luke Hughes and Jesper Bratt both have 11 points with a goal and 10 assists each.
That’s 72 points combined by the five players in the 14 games played and three players (Meier, J. Hughes and Hischier) who average more than a point per game.
Injuries:
Devils
Hamilton – torn pectoral muscle, LTIR
Siengethaler – concussion, IR
Foote – undisclosed, out
MacDermid – lower-body, out
Sabres
Samuelsson – upper-body, out for season
Rousek - face, day to day
Jost - undisclosed, day-to-day