SABRES (20-19-9) at CANADIENS (29-14-7)
7:30 p.m. ET; SNE, RDS, MSG-B, NHL.TV
Sabres team scope
As the Buffalo Sabres prepare for their second game at Bell Centre in 10 days, coach Dan Bylsma would welcome the same effort he saw in their 3-2 overtime win against the Montreal Canadiens on Jan. 21. "In that game I thought we did a pretty good job, maybe our best job of the year, of establishing a forecheck," Bylsma said after the morning skate. "We kept the puck away from [goaltender] Carey Price, which he plays it a lot and well and we did a good job of keeping it away from him and putting pressure on the Montreal defense and turning that into offensive zone time and chances for us." The Sabres had three straight overtime wins before a 4-3 loss at the Dallas Stars on Thursday. "We had a good little stretch before the break, and I think that we're confident in our game right now," center Jack Eichel said. "I think that's important for us. We know we can win games in this league and we know we can be a consistent team, so it's important to stay consistent. We need to get on one of these winning streaks and start rattling them off and start catching the teams above us. We gave a decent amount of games away in the first half of the year. We're playing a bit of catch-up here, but we know we're in a position where if we win the right ones at the right time and do the right things we can put ourselves in a position to potentially be in the playoffs. It starts tonight."
Canadiens team scope
Defenseman Nikita Nesterov will make his Montreal Canadiens debut against the Buffalo Sabres, and defensemen Andrei Markov and center David Desharnais will be in the lineup at Bell Centre. Nesterov was acquired in a trade with the Tampa Bay Lightning on Thursday. He will be paired with Markov, who will play for the first time since Dec. 17 after missing 19 games because of a groin injury. "First of all, we want Nesterov to be in a situation where he will be able to perform well, to communicate, to play him with Markov so he can learn the way we play, a few details that are different from the way he's used to playing," coach Michel Therrien said after the morning skate in Brossard, Quebec. "And with Markov, we're going to have to manage his ice time. Don't forget, it's been a while since he's played, so those two things led us to put them together." Desharnais plans to keep it simple after missing 24 games because of a knee injury he sustained on Dec. 6. "Just getting my timing back, I think that's the most important thing, not trying to do too much," Desharnais said. "When you're out that long you miss the game and I'm going to enjoy the game tonight." Defenseman Jeff Petry is a game-time decision after missing the morning skate because of illness.
Sabres projected lineup
Tyler Ennis -- Ryan O'Reilly -- Kyle Okposo
Marcus Foligno -- Jack Eichel -- Sam Reinhart
Evander Kane -- Zemgus Girgensons -- Brian Gionta
William Carrier -- Cal O'Reilly -- Matt Moulson
Dmitry Kulikov -- Rasmus Ristolainen
Scratched: Nicolas Deslauriers
Injured: Josh Gorges (hip), Johan Larsson (wrist), Jake McCabe (shoulder), Cody McCormick (blood clots)
Canadiens projected lineup
Max Pacioretty -- Phillip Danault -- Alexander Radulov
Artturi Lehkonen -- Tomas Plekanec -- Paul Byron
Sven Andrighetto -- David Desharnais -- Andrew Shaw
Daniel Carr -- Torrey Mitchell -- Brian Flynn
Nathan Beaulieu -- Jeff Petry
Andrei Markov -- Nikita Nesterov
Carey Price
Scratched: Greg Pateryn, Mark Barberio, Jacob De La Rose
Injured: Alex Galchenyuk (knee), Brendan Gallagher (hand)
Status report
Bylsma anticipated the return of Markov and Desharnais to the Canadiens' lineup. "(Markov is) a big part of their defense, a big part of their puck-moving defense and on the power play as well," Bylsma said. "Desharnais going back down the middle gives them a little more depth in their top-12 forwards. They're a good team. They're a good team without those guys, they're a better team with those guys in their lineup." Pateryn is ready to return after missing 24 games since breaking his ankle on Dec. 6. He will play if Petry is unavailable. Therrien did not rule out the possibility of Galchenyuk returning Thursday. The Canadiens assigned defenseman Zach Redmond to St. John's of the AHL after he cleared waivers.
Who's hot
Kane has two goals and four assists during a three-game point streak. He has 14 goals in his past 25 games, including two against Dallas. Eichel has six points (four goals, two assists) in his past six games. Gionta has a three-game point streak (two goals, one assist). Franson needs one point for 200 in his NHL career. ... Radulov has five points in his past four games (two goals, three assists). Shaw has one goal and two assists in his past two games.
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